Empty Gaze
by Took-took
Summary: Hannibal tossed a coin when he was in France and decided to save Evelyne,a young French girl. How is her presence going to affect the story? Will she create the family she dreams of, or will she destroy everyone in her wrath? Rated M for description of murders, and language, translations for each French sentences are given at the end of each chapters.
1. Jasmine

_I am not an English native and I apologise for any mistakes! I welcome any dvise and comments!_

Chapter One: Jasmine

Jack Crawford was at his wits' end. He needed to catch that killer and to do that, he needed Will Graham. To get him, he needed to find someone that could monitor him and do some damage control. Alana had refused, of course. She might have been one of the cleverest and kindest psychiatrist he knew, but she was incredibly frustrating and she did not make Jack's life easier at the moment.

Thus, here he was, waiting in the outer room after his incredibly embarrassing mishaps of mixing the Doctor and his client.

Of course, he had read about Doctor Hannibal Lecter's prowess in pretty much everything he set his mind to do, be it arts, the human body or the human mind. It had made the man a well-known figure in the psychiatrist world and Bloom held him in high regards but pictures of the Doctor were surprisingly hard to come by. He also guessed from the very rich interior of the waiting room and the prices of the neighbourhood that Doctor Lecter wasn't poor. If he remembered well, he came from an old aristocrat family from Europe, which would explain the accent he had perceived in the earlier talk. Remembering his mistake, Jack groaned and burrowed deeper in the overly-comfortable chair. He hid his face behind his hands, trying to cut the world from him. The headache that he had successfully stove off was reappearing. He felt on edge and nervous, and if he didn't have more self-control over his body, he would let his leg bounce up and down.

Suddenly the door from the outside opened and a girl of around 16-17 entered, taking her earphones out and twisting them in her pocket. She wore a brown leather jacket, a bright red scarf and a black pleated skirt with big black boots with brown straps. She raised her head from her phone and looked at him, raising an eyebrow. She had pale blond hair that shone grey to the light, kept short and curling slightly, framing a strong jaw, an upturned nose and her doe eyes. They were a striking onyx colour, but when the light hit them you could barely discern a dark shade of blue. He straightened his spine, raising in the chair, feeling like he was in front of his superior. He was going to initiate a conversation or repeat what the Doctor had said but shut his mouth when she proceeded in ignoring him, going back to her phone. She strolled by him, the smell of jasmine trailing behind her. She was about to open the offices' door when he called out to her.

"Excuse-me, you have to wait, the Doctor said he needed a break after his last patient. You can wait with-"

He stopped talking when she ignored him, barely turning her head to acknowledge him, and opened the door, calling out "Papa, I'm here. Can I borrow some books again?"

Jack froze. Lecter's life was very mysterious. He might live in the high society but he had successfully kept his personal life just what it was: personal. But even with that, Jack could have never guessed that. He might not be bilingual in French like Will, but he knew enough to know what 'Papa' meant.

Since when did Doctor Lecter had a daughter?!

 _Inside the office_

Hannibal looked up from his notes, already nodding to his adopted daughter.

"Of course you can Evelyne. Est-ce que Crawford est toujours là ?"

"Si tu parles de l'homme dans la salle d'attente, oui il est toujours là. C'est qui? Do you need me to leave or get ready?"

Lecter let his eyes lazily follow the girl, as she removed her jacket and bag, putting them next to the ladder.

"Il s'agit de Jack Crawford, I told you about him I think, the director of the Behavioural Unit in the FBI. And yes please, do get ready, just in case. But stay in sight, il doit croire que tu n'es pas une menace."

She did not reply, just nodding as she got up to the balcony and going straight to where her silence gun was. She also took one of the book, humming softly as she prepared herself, hiding the gun in her left hand and holding the book up so it would hide the weapon from his point of view. He allowed himself a smile and the usual surge of pride he always felt when his girl was being incredibly clever.

Hannibal took a few minutes to finish his notes, and put on his polite mask.

"Oh and please, try not to shoot me, Eve."

"Can't promise anything."

He got up and went to open the door throwing an unimpressed glare over his shoulder. When he opened the door, Jack immediately got up, taking his hand with strength on both sides. Lecter invited Jack in, positioning himself behind.

Crawford immediately turned around, taking in the very rich décor, to finally focus on Evelyne who was still flipping through the pages, looking busy. He turned around to talk to the doctor but kept the girl in his peripheral view.

"I was not aware you had a daughter, Doctor."

"I became Evelyne's legal guardian when her mother died a long time ago, murdered in a gruesome way."

"My condolences."

Hannibal almost let his pity mask fall into a smirk when he heard Eve's sharp intake of breath though he quickly lost it when he heard the security of the gun softly click, a sound lost in turning pages, discreet enough that Jack wouldn't hear it but Hannibal would. The warning had been received and he thanked the other man, changing the subject, regretting throwing that barb at her.

"So, may I ask how this is all about me?"

"You can ask, but I may have to ask you a few questions first. Is your daughter staying?"

"Yes, if it is okay with you. She is working on an essay on the origins of fiction in French literature."

"Impressive. No secretary?"

"Was pre-dispositioned to romantic whims. Followed her heart to the United Kingdom, sad to see her go. She used to be good friends with Evelyne."

Jack chuckled as the girl hummed her agreement. He went to the drawings, turning his back to the both of them, and Hannibal went to get his scalpel as Evelyne turned around, facing them, her book tilted enough for the muzzle of the gun to be unhindered.

"Wow. Are these yours Doctor?"

"Among others. My daughter did some as well. This one is my boarding school in Paris when I was a boy, where I met Evelyne's mother."

"The amount of detail is incredible."

"I learned very early a scalpel cuts better points than a pencil sharpener."

He heard the girl chuckle very softly. Hannibal had taken the habit to make her laugh with his cannibalistic jokes when he had rubbed Eve the wrong way. It always worked and eased their relationship. They liked to test each other's limits, pushing and pulling and then went back to their middle ground.

"Well, now I understand why your drawings earned you an intern-ship at John Hopkins."

"I'm beginning to suspect you're investigating me, Agent Crawford."

Hannibal straightened and lost all traces of humour as he fiddled with the scalpel. He knew his daughter was also tensing, crouching down to have a better vantage point on the FBI agent.

Jack chuckled.

"No, no. No, you were referred to me by Alana Bloom in the psychology department Georgetown."

Hannibal relaxed slightly, and he glanced at the girl, nodding to her. She got up and hid the gun again, keeping it just in case.

"Most psychology departments are filled with personality deficient. Dr. Bloom would be the exception."

"Yes, she would, yes she would. Well, she told me that you mentored her during her residency at Johns Hopkins. Though she did not tell me you had an adopted girl."

"I learned as much from her as she did from me. For some reason, she decided to keep my family-life a secret, which I appreciate grandly; I do not want anyone pestering my daughter."

"I understand, yes. She also showed me, uh, your paper. 'Evolutionary'.. uh 'Evo-"

Evelyne interrupted him, speaking for the first time, that French lilt giving her an accent. Despite the years spent travelling, she always kept a trace of her accent, though it was only when she was really distressed that it would become a really thick discernible French accent.

"Evolutionary Origins of Social Exclusion."

Jack looked up, and nodded, smiling.

"Yes, thank you. Very interesting. Very interesting. Even for a layman."

Hannibal raised an eyebrow, sceptical.

"A layman?"

"Yeah."

Evelyne scoffed, putting the book down on the shelf with the gun, still hidden from the Agent's sight. Hannibal put down the scalpel as well and turned to look at the man.

"So many learned fellows going about in the halls of Behavioural Science -at the FBI, and you consider yourself a layman."

"I do when I'm in your company, doctor. Um, I need you to help me with a psychological profile."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure it is a conversation fit for your daughter."

The girl scoffed again, her eyebrows scrunching in distaste, looking distinctly like an unhappy teenager. She took the book up again, leaving the gun on the shelf. She got down the ladder and jumped down the last few steps, landing gracefully. Hannibal and Jack both shared an amused look at the teen clear anger at being dismissed. She put on her coat keeping the book in her hand and bent down to get her bag.

"Don't take too long, I'll be in the car. N'oublie pas tes partitions pour ce soir, j'en aurais besoin."

With that order, she left, closing the door behind her.

Hannibal knew that Jack looked amused even before turning around.

"I am sorry about her, she tends to not like being left in the dark."

"That's teenagers for you. How old is she?"

"She turned nineteen last May. Her IQ is higher than normal which makes it tough for her to socialise properly. She is currently studying multiple courses in University on-line, but is still looking for her path."

Even the doctor could hear the pride that seeped in those words. He truly felt lucky to have found a mind as twisted and as sharp as his in her. He wasn't sure he'd let her live when he accepted her mother's request of taking her in, but when he found her later, bathed in the blood of her assailant at just 8 year old, he knew he could shape her and create something special that would calm that ache of loneliness he felt sometimes.

"You sound proud of her. She sounds like a clever and great kid."

"She is, and I am. So what was that case?"

 _Notes and Translations:_

 _Est-ce que Crawford est toujours là ?"-_ Is Crawford still there ?

" _Si tu parles de l'homme dans la salle d'attente, oui il est toujours là._ _C'est qui? -_ If you're talking about the man in the waiting room, yes, he is there. Who's he?

" _Il s'agit de Jack Crawford, I told you about him I think, the director of the Behavioural Unit in the FBI. And yes please, do get ready, just in case. But stay in sight, il doit croire que tu n'es pas une menace."-_ It is Jack Crawford, [...] But stay in sight, he must believe you are not a danger.


	2. Insight

_I do not own any characters nor the show, Though I love them to pieces. I apologise for any mistakes, I am not English._

Chapter 2 – Insight

Hannibal felt like a child that had found his way in a forbidden place. The giddiness almost took over his body, but the steady, cold presence of his daughter at his elbow kept him in control. As soon as Jack had left his office, he had joined his daughter and invited her to come to the FBI's building, knowing she'd like it and would also keep him in check.

Crawford had come to fetch them when they had arrived. He had been surprised to see the girl, dressed in that same brown leather jacket but in clear blue ripped skinny jeans and boots. She fitted nicely next to the doctor's casual look.

"She'll have to wait outside the room, I'm afraid."

"It's okay. I have some reading material."

"Well then, let's go."

Jack walked them through some of the rooms, and it quickly ended up being a tour of the place, Evelyne asking questions about the classes and different departments. Hannibal was glad to follow behind, absorbing everything and observing the clever way his charge was obtaining informations on the police force. They were peeking behind the curtain and they were enjoying it.

When they arrived at the Agent's office, a man was waiting leaning on the wall already, fidgeting with a cup of coffee. He glanced up at their arrival, not meeting anyone's eyes but observing all the same. Hannibal felt curiosity make his way into him as the other man straightened up, barely acknowledging them as he threw his empty cup and got in the office without waiting for them. Jack sighed, shaking his head and giving them a wry smile. Evelyne did not seem bothered by it in the slightest, as she went back to the couches they had seen before and got settled to read.

"I take it that was Will Graham?"

"Yes I'm afraid. Let's go then."

* * *

Will was angry. Frustrated. Wounded. But most of all, tired. Jack had betrayed him. He knew he was unstable, but to go behind his back and getting some strange man to poke in his head, that was just... rude. He was about to violently request his coffee from the machine when he saw a young teenage girl in one of the sofa of the break-room and decided to not assault said machine. He got his coffee and sat down in the sofa in front of her, still fuming at both Jack and that other man. Who were they to psycho-analyse him? Who-

"Did Papa annoyed you?"

Will glanced up at the girl, surprised to see her smile at him with compassion.

"uh, I'm sorry?"

"He tends to do that a lot. I often end up with the same face."

"What face?"

"A murdering one."

He chuckled and started relaxing. He observed the girl more attentively. Her short hair shone a strange blond-grey colour and were pushed behind her ears as she looked at him with very dark eyes. She was sun-tanned and looked confident in her body. She continued to smile at him, and he startled when he realised he had been staring right into her eyes.

"Sorry, huh, you said Papa? Is that man, um..."

"Hannibal Lecter. He is my legal guardian. He has been taking care of me for 10 years now."

"Must be tough on you."

"You have no idea."

They both chortled. It had been a while for Will, to not feel stressed or nervous while talking to someone. He was at ease with her, the jokes and tease had come naturally, and looking into her eyes did not bother him at all. She was a strange young woman. He watched as she closed her book, putting a feather as a bookmark.

"You're reading a tough book, Jean-Marie Schaeffer can get rather complicated."

"You know French? And I'm already in University, I am taking multiple courses, including one on French literature."

"I guess I do, haven't practised in a while though. That's impressive, have you considered studying the origins of religious texts before the Bible in France with the monks' influence over texts?"

Her eyes grew bigger, shining with curiosity.

"That's a great idea! Thank you!"

He was about to continue when he heard Jack and the psychiatrist approach. His anger rekindled and he decided to hide out in his office. He saw the girl look into the hallway as well, a mask falling into place as if it belonged. She now seemed much colder and distant, just like that man, Hannibal Lecter. She seemed empty and fake.

Will got up.

"Gotta go, thanks though, you helped a lot."

He didn't wait for her reply, but he smiled when he heard her soft "De rien, avec plasir".

Hannibal was happy. No, more than that, he was ecstatic. He had found a mind as sharp as his. Eyes that saw too much, and a tongue as sharp as his daughter's.

 _-flashback-_

"Do you have trouble with taste?"

"My thoughts are often not tasty."

"Nor mine. No effective barriers."

"I build forts."

"Associations come quickly."

"So do forts."

"Not fond of eye contact, are you?"

"Eyes are distracting; you see too much, you don't see enough. And-And it's hard to focus when you're thinking, um 'Oh, those whites are really white' or 'He must have hepatitis' or 'oh, is that a burst vein?' So yeah, I try to avoid eyes whenever possible. Jack?"

"You remind me of my daughter, she is as sharp as you. And I imagine what you see and learn touches everything else in your mind. Your values and decency are present yet shocked at your associations, appalled at your dreams. No forts in the bone arena of your skull for things you love."

"Whose profile are you working on? Whose profile is he working on?!"

"I'm sorry Will. Observing is what we do. I can't shut mine off any more than you can shut yours off."

" **Please, don't psycho-analyse me.** **You won't like me when I'm psycho-analysed."**

 _-end of flashback-_

He had been even more thrilled when he had left the office to notice the free laugh of his daughter and a deep chuckle. Sadly, Jack was making too much of a racket to consider spying on that special moment, so he could only witness the hurried departing of the professor and the cold and calm mask of Evelyne. But she was not as proficient as him in faking feelings and he could see right through it, the mirth in her eyes made them shine just a little bit more, the tip of her ears were slightly red, and her closed book indicated she had been paying attention to the conversation.

They had went home, Hannibal almost gushing about plans and possibilities and Evelyne sceptically helping him. She also liked this Will. If Hannibal had to admit, he was a bit jealous of his daughter since he had been much more amicable to her. He had even given her ideas for her paper. So the both of them decided to paint a picture that only Will could decipher, a picture that will push him in just the right path.

The victim had been easy to find and Evelyne made quick work in tricking her. Hannibal had taken care of obtaining the stag head, a piece he would have liked to bring home, but he regrettably had other plans for it. They both took care of the girl, placing her just the right way. The psychiatrist usually took care of getting the meat but this time Eve decided to help out, cutting the girl open.

Hannibal had cooked the lungs, leaving enough for his daughter and taking the rest to Will as a gift. He loved a good twist in irony and what was funnier than feeding the lungs of the dead girl the detective had been mortified to find?


	3. Gifts

_I remind the wide world web that I do not own any of the characters nor the story._

Chapter 3 – Gifts

He brushed his suit as he got out of the car, taking the food with him. He tried to control himself and not smile too broadly. He put on his mask and knocked on the hotel door. He heard Will grumble and the bed squeak and when the door opened he struggled to keep his calm. Even jet-lagged and rumpled from his sleep, the younger man looked like Michaelangelo's David.

"Good morning, Will. May I come in?"

"Where's Crawford?"

"Deposed in court. The adventure will be yours and mine today, though my daughter will be joining. May I come in?"

"Yeah, sure, uh, don't mind the mess, I just got there."

"It is understandable. I brought food, as an apology for the early hour."

"Ha, right, that must be the delightful smell."

"I'm very careful about what I put into my body, which means I end up preparing most meals myself. A little protein scramble to start the day. Some eggs, some sausage."

Hannibal observed as will dug in the food, barely polite or civil enough to reply but he still succeeded somehow. He suddenly remembered a hungry and young Evelyne, just out of captivity and eating the heart that Hannibal had cooked for her, taken from her first victim. The flashback ended when Will replied.

"Hmm, it's delicious. Thank you."

"My pleasure."

The psychiatrist's smile stretched and he also began to eat. They continued to eat peacefully, the only sounds the clutter of the fork and knife on the plates. When they were both nearly done, Hannibal decided to break the ice.

"I would apologise for my analytical ambush, but I know I will soon be apologising again and you'll tire of that eventually, so I have to consider using apologies sparingly."

Will scoffed, picking a piece of lung with his fork and pointing to him.

"Just keep it professional."

"Or we could socialise, like adults. God forbid we become friendly."

"I don't find you that interesting. Though your daughter, or foster daughter I guess, seemed nice."

"You will. And yes, she is. She wanted me to thank you by the way, she had been struggling with her paper but your idea helped her through."

"Huh, good to know that."

The silence hang, getting heavier minutely. Hannibal stomped down on his jealousy and saw it as an opportunity to bring Will to his side, make him see their world. He cleared his throat and looked straight at the puzzle in front of him.

"Agent Crawford tells me you have a knack for the monsters."

"I don't think the Shrike killed that girl in the field."

"The devil is in the details. What didn't your copycat do to the girl in the field? What gave it away?"

Hannibal felt like a starving jackal in front of a fresh death. It was amazingly satisfying to watch that raw beast that was Will's mind circle the picture, working it's way closer to the truth.

"Everything. It's like he had to show me a negative so that I could see the positive. That crime scene was practically gift-wrapped."

So Evelyne and his work had been received for what it was. He felt pride engulf him.

"The mathematics of human behaviour all those ugly variables. Some bad math with this Shrike fellow, huh? Are you reconstructing his fantasies?"

The temporary agent chuckled, shaking his head. His smile was awry and edged. Hannibal smiled, proud of himself.

"What kind of problems does he have?"

Will glanced up, throwing an unimpressed eyebrow up. He sat back on his chair, his mind finally starting to warm up and work, the food being digested.

"Uh, he has a few."

The psychiatrist in him reared his head back in, and Lecter decided to take his chance.

"You ever have any problems, Will?"

"No."

He immediately backed off, regretting it as he watched the young man build his fort back up.

"Of course you don't. You and I are just alike, problem-free. Nothing about us to feel horrible about. You know what, Will? I think Uncle Jack sees you as a fragile little teacup. The finest China, used for special guests."

Will laughed loudly, more free than he had ever heard before.

"How do you see me?"

Hannibal couldn't contain his smirk.

"The mongoose I want under the house when the snakes slithers by. Let's finish breakfast, We need to pick my daughter up, she's probably up by now."

They finished their plate, exchanging small talk about what they would be doing during the day. They decided to first pass by Hannibal's hotel to get Evelyne who will accompany them throughout the day since she had come with her dad. She had still been sleeping in her bed when Hannibal had left. Will wondered if it was safe for the young woman to come with them but the doctor had reassured her she had the authorisation from Jack only if she was under their supervision and stay out of everything, only observing. Evelyne had convinced the FBI Bureau Head to take her as a probationer or a trainee and with her very impressive file and her home-schooling, there was nothing against her.

Will went into the bathroom to get ready while Hannibal washed the plates and fixed a few things up. The agent emerged, more presentable.

"Shall we?"

Will got in and Hannibal drove, smiling at the opportunities that were laying out in from of him. So many things that could happen. He was interrupted by Will's voice.

"What are you smiling at?"

"Peeking behind the curtain. I'm just curious how the FBI goes about its business when it's not kicking in doors."

"You're lucky we're not doing house-to-house interviews. We found a little piece of metal in Elise Nichols' clothes: a shred from a pipe threader."

The doctor almost groaned at the thought of what it meant.

"There must be hundreds of construction sites all over Minnesota."

"A certain kind of metal, certain kind of pipe, certain kind of pipe coating, so we're checking all the constriction sites that use that kind of pipe."

Hannibal hummed as they got closer to his hotel.

"What are we looking for?"

"At this stage, anything really. But mostly, anything peculiar."


	4. Planning

_Just my now-usual reminder, I do not own any of the characters This chapter includes French and Lituanian translations !_

Chapter 4 : Planning

They both got out of the car as soon as Hannibal had parked and they looked up when they heard their name being called. They saw Evelyne hurrying down the stairs. She had her brown leather jacket open, letting them see a black shirt with origami birds on it, it was tucked in her high-waisted simple jeans, with her boots. She had her bag open and she was putting her book in it. Will saw some feathers held together by a piece of leather that was knotted at her bag' handle. Her hair was up in a loose ponytail and they looked grey-er than blond in the sun. When she got close enough he was about to drop his gaze, feeling the awkwardness creeping when he caught her eyes. They weren't all black as he had thought. They were just a very dark shade of blue. In the bright sun it looked like there were blue speckles of precious gems etched into her eyes. It was highlighted by her soft dark make-up as well. She smiled at them, the plump lips stretching into a large but kind smile.

"Hello Papa, thanks for the food, it was delicious as always."

"Hello Eve, you're welcome. I'm sorry I had to leave so early."

"It's okay, hello Will, nice to see you again, and nice to meet you I guess."

"Oh yeah, nice to meet you, Evelyne, was it?"

"Yes ! Merci de me laisser vous accompagner aujourd'hui."

"Pas de problème."

Hannibal looked at him with a surprisingly human face, his eyes large, mouth open.

"You speak French?"

"Yeah, um, hadn't practised in a while though."

Hannibal closed his mouth but his smile stayed there, a bit more secretive and his eyes shining strangely in the light. Evelyne got closer to him, her face closing down for a second before she turned to Will, her smile edgier but her eyes warm. She asked them what they will be doing and if it bothered them if she took notes and when Will shook his head and tried for a shaky smile, her face smoothed into a thankful expression.

"Well then, Allons-y!"

They took their seat, Evelyne at the back. They started to talk, Will actually not forcing himself and genuinely curious about her studies and different papers. Hannibal participated, adding informations and books he knew about, talking of where they had been in France, all of them somehow mixing French and English. The empathic man noticed and appreciated the fact that they made sure to speak slower when they were speaking French. The conversation dwindled down, but the silence wasn't awkward or heavy, it was even agreeable and calming, and Will was surprised to notice his usual headache had calmed down a bit and he was smiling softly. He looked at Hannibal at his side and to Evelyne in the mirror, the two of then somehow looking alike, smiling a calm smile, their heads held high with confidence and eyes dark with thoughts. Evelyne was even humming an unknown song, filling the car with her soft voice. Somehow, Will could see himself getting along with them. Without Evelyne he might have rebuked the doctor at his side, but now he was more intrigued by the multi-cultured man, who had visited so many countries.

They were going through the files, the annoying woman continuously talking, rude and appalling to Hannibal's taste. He could see the same distaste in Evelyne's face, her features more expressive than his. Even Will seemed tired of her and was on the verge of glaring at the loud woman.

"Two fellas and a girl, a trainee or somethin', from the FBI. They goin' through the drawers now. Mm-hmm. Puttin' papers in file boxes, the girl's readin' some of them. Yes, they are takin' things. No. Well, they didn't say- Yes they can!"

Addressing to them she asked louder than before "What did you say your names were?"

Hannibal was about to reply as polite as ever, even though images of the woman strangled by her own tongue was floating in his mind, when the young Agent interrupted the pig that was the woman.

"Jimmyt Jacob Hobbs?"

"He's one of our pipe threaders. Those are all the resignation letters. Plumbers' Union requires 'em wheneve' members finish a job." She whispered in her phone that she'll call back but Will ignored her and continued his interrogation, Not noticing he had everyone's attention.

"Uh, does Mr. Hobbs have a daughter?"

"Might have."

Will sighed, and Hannibal could see the tension that had disappeared in the car reappearing. He then glanced at his daughter. She had her arms crossed, looking cold and uninterested, but Hannibal could see the muscle taut with barely repressed disgust, the eyes that were intent and as dark as a black hole. Just like that, the psychiatrist knew that this woman would not live long if Evelyne ever gets her hands on her.

"18 or 19, wind-chafed, uh, plain but pretty. She'd have auburn hair, a bit smaller than Evelyne."

"Maybe. I don't know. I don't keep company with these people."

Evelyne took a deep breath, throwing a look at him, and walked towards the woman. The cold façade dropped to a kind polite smile as she thanked the woman for her help and asked for more informations.

Hannibal nodded and went to look over the Agent's shoulder.

"What is it about Jimmyt Jacob Hobbs you find so peculiar?"

"He left a phone number, no address."

"And therefore he has something to hide?"

"The others all left addresses. Do you have an address for Mr. Hobbs?"

The woman stuttered and was shaking her head when Evelyne spoke up.

"I have it actually. Found it in a file about an accident from a year or two ago. The boss needed to send assurance' stuff to Hobbs and wrote it down there."

"Perfect, you're a life-saviour. Let's take all of this back to the car."

As Will took the first box and took it to the car, Hannibal looked at his charge, conveying with his eyes his intent. She tilted her head, her right eyebrow raising as it always did when she was doubting him. He breathed in just a tiny bit and Evelyne got the message that he knew what he was doing, and that she'd have to distract the Agent and the Pig. She nodded minutely, taking a big file and walking out, intentionally bumping into Will and making everything fly.

Hannibal quickly called the Hobbs' family. The idea of seeing Will under stress and Evelyne fight against her own demons appealing him. He was doing it for them really. He was trying to make them grow: for Will it was about making him see the dark world they lived in, making him see how he could belong, especially if he ends up killing Hobbs. For Evelyne it was about her dealing with a family slaughter, a girl that might end up in the same position she had been in, her facing loss of innocence again.

He might have to hide for a while and be incredibly careful at home for a few months since Evelyne was the kind to plan her revenge, to stalk and wait for the perfect moment. She had been raised by him, but Hannibal wasn't ashamed to admit he didn't know if he would survive if she ever got serious about killing him.

The ringing stopped and a young girl replied on the phone, her voice sweet.

"Hello?"

"Hello, I'm here to speak to Mr. Hobbs."

"Just a second. Dad! It's for you!

Who is this?

Caller ID said it was blocked.

-Hello?"

"Mr. Jimmyt Jacob Hobbs?"

"Yeah."

"You don't know me and I suspect we'll never meet. This is a courtesy call. Listen very carefully. Are you listening?"

"Yes."

"They know."

As Hannibal put the phone down he felt a stare on his back and turned around. His daughter was in the entryway, leaning against the frame.

"How much have you heard?"

"Courtesy bullshit. I don't know what you fucking want to do, but I am pretty sure it's shit."

The psychopath cringed. He hated when she got vulgar, it was distasteful and made for people of a lower category, it was for uncultured swine. He had tried to stop her from cursing but Evelyne's mother could swear like a drunk sailor, and she had regretfully kept that from her. But they had achieved a compromise and Eve would keep her cursing to a minimal and avoid it in front of him, and he would let her use his kitchen to make cakes, and let her have access to his collection of alcohol as long as she asked him. For her to curse in front of him meant she was angry or disappointed, but he would not let her ruin everything. He soothed his face and glared coldly at her, and used his mother-tongue to remind her who was in control here.

"Gana."

She immediately straightened, her face losing some colours and she bowed her head, her eyes looking down.

"Atsiprašome, Tėvas."

" _De rien, avec plasir"_ \- You're welcome, with pleasure.

" _Yes ! Merci de m'acceuillir aujourd'hui."_ -Yes! Thanks for welcoming me today.

" _Pas de problème."_ \- No problem.

 _Allons-y !_ \- Let's go !

" _Gana."_ \- "Enough.

" _Atsipra_ _š_ _ome, T_ _ė_ _vas."_ \- Apologies, Father.


	5. Shock

_Another reminder that I do not own Hannibal and the charcters. This Chapter is a bit longer, apologies!_

Chapter 5 - Shock

Will walked in, immediately reading the atmosphere and looked between them, a frown marring his face as he tried to guess what was going on. He was about to say something when Evelyne brusquely raised her head, looked at Hannibal who nodded before she harshly took a file and marched outside, her steps loud in the heavy silence. Will awkwardly rubbed his arm and looked at Hannibal, probably seeing a stone-looking face.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes. Do not worry. I just had to remind her of something she does not appreciate." He let the angry and disappointment fade away, and let his usual polite mask take it's place. He smiled politely at Will. "Do we have everything? If so, we should hurry."

The silence in the car was heavy. Evelyne kept looking outside, playing with the two rings that were on a chain around her neck. Will couldn't stop it and he analysed her stance, seeing the anger, fear and apprehension, and the slight comfort she had in touching the tattered rings. When he looked to his left, he felt as if he was looking at a marble statue. Hannibal's profile left nothing out, his chiselled and harsh features seemed colder and darker with the setting sun. His eyes were thoughtfully clouded, and Will had a much harder time analysing him. But by the way the doctor kept clenching and unclenching the steering wheel and his eyes kept glancing at the rear mirror to check on the young woman, the agent could easily guess he was angry, but also a bit worried and apprehensive.

When they got to the house though, it all was forgotten when they noticed the middle-aged woman dying on the porch. Hannibal and Will both got out fast and ran to her. Will let his training take control of his body, ignoring the other two civilian as he got in the house, calling out "Jimmyt Jacob Hobbs! FBI!"

He could feel Lecter's presence at his side, everything blurred, the gunpowder's smell filled his nose and Jacob Hobb's words resonated in him as he looked at him dying. The doctor, always a constant shadow. And when the adrenaline calmed down, he saw Lecter holding the girl's neck, stopping the blood flow in his stead. He looked up, his gun being taken out of his hand by Evelyne. There was something strange about her, he couldn't tell what, but she was just staring at Hobbs, her face closed off. And then Will noticed. Her lips had been smeared with blood. He mindlessly raised a shaking hand, as bloody as the rest of his clothes and he brushed the blood off, smearing the lipstick as well. She looked up, her eyes bluer than ever, shinier as well, and she smiled. The smile was strange on her face, it looked more like a child's grin, all teeth, and innocent. It looked jagged and broken. Will couldn't remember much, he couldn't feel much either, he saw the flashes of the polices' cars, the hurried and loud steps of the FBI agents, the shouts of Jack Crawford.

He was suddenly pushed away, the ER team going to Abigail's side, listening to Hannibal's advise and his rendering of the situation. He saw the doctor leave with the ER team, and he looked at Evelyne, stranded alone, in a pool of blood that wasn't hers. She had rubbed all of her lipstick off on her jacket and she was staring at Hobbs, her eyes lost in a sort of nostalgia. He didn't think when he took her arm and put her head against his chest, making her stop looking at the dead man. He felt her breath in and thank him in French.

Another bunch of ER people came in, taking them, pushing them out of the house and Will walked out, as in a dream. He was about to lose himself in his head when he felt a tug on his arm and he noticed Evelyne still there, holding on to him, her lost look gone, only intent and determination. She took him to the back of an ambulance and got in, ignoring the people running to and fro as she took out the things she needed. Will's brain seemed to catch up to what was happening and the first thing he felt he had to ask was "How do you know all of that?"

The girl looked back at him, her face alight with a satisfied smile, and even with the blood smeared on her face and on her hair she looked alive and flushed.

"Happy to have you back, I've been talking to you for a while now but you weren't listening."

"Ha, sorry. I-"

"It's okay, You were in shock. And to answer to your question, my dad's Hannibal Lecter, former top-surgeon that took me in when I was a kid. Of course he is going to teach me how to heal cuts and scraps."

As she was talking, the Agent observed her taking out a cotton pad, putting some alcohol on it.

"I'm not wounded."

"You never know."

She took his face and cleaned it softly and Will found himself closing his eyes. He didn't want to face the demons that hid in the dark recesses of his mind so he kept talking to the young and kind girl.

"Thank you, for everything. Are you okay though?"

"I am. Papa taught me how to deal with trauma and things like that. I was the one that gave him that interests in the human mind. He had always been curious but when he had to take care of me, a traumatised 8 year old that survived a psychopathic paedophile, he didn't know how to act. I hated touch, hated adults, hated loneliness. He had to do researches and use his own experiences to teach me how to survive."

"I didn't know. I'm sorry about what happened to you. I shouldn't have-"

"No it's okay, talking about it is therapeutic, it means I'm getting over it, especially since it's been years now, and you are someone that can understand, I know you won't pity me, will you?"

"No, no, you, um- You're strong."

"Thank you."

The silence that followed was filled with her humming and Will focused on that until all other sounds were drowned and became a background buzz. Her voice was soft and the melody was from a classical piece he didn't know but he appreciated the ups and downs of her hums.

"Is it hard to live with Dr Lecter? He looks a bit unattainable, almost unfeeling sometimes."

Evelyne chuckled. She sat down beside him, taking his hand in hers, washing them with the same care. Will was a bit surprised no one had come to bother them but he won't complain, he was glad for the respite and to get a chance to talk to someone that did not put him on edge.

"Hmm, yes it can be. The best example I think I can give you is the one about the stray dog."

Will's interest was immediately picked and he opened his eyes, looking at the girl as she continued working on his hand even though they were already clean. She looked lost in memories and defenceless. He shifted so his back was to the people still milling behind them and focused on the girl.

"It had been 4 years since Hannibal had adopted me. We were still in France. I was 12 I've always been rather sportive, so I used to jog every evening for an hour or two. Along the way, there was this stray dog that decided to run with me. At first I thought it was a mean one, but she wasn't. After a month of her running at my side, not asking for anything but a petting, I started getting attached to that dog. So I started giving her a bit of food. I asked Papa if it was okay, of course. He didn't care, as long as I took care of her and she did not enter the house. She was my responsibility, I had to buy or make her food. I didn't mind, it was a good excuse as any to start learning how to cook you know."

Will watched as she stopped washing his right hand and took his left, doing the same process. She was softly smiling, and her eyes were unfocused.

"That dog, I ended up calling her Glacial because she had the bluest eyes I'd ever seen. She became mine of sorts. One evening, during September, as usual she joined me on my run. I loved to run with her. Running alone was a bit boring, even with music. Nothing can beat running with a dog. And then someone ran into me from the side. It was a man. There were a few people walking but it was the evening and those people just walked on, ignoring what was happening."

Disgust painted itself on her face and she gripped his hand a bit tighter. He felt repulsion grow in him and he squeezed her hand a bit.

"I was about to defend myself. I had already started lessons of multiple martial art, but he had pushed me so hard that my side ached. And then, Glacial jumped between us, protecting me. She barked and growled. The man tried to kick her and pass by her but Glacial was a stray dog. She had been in dogs' fights and she had the scars to prove it. She jumped on him making him fall and she bit his arm until I heard the bone crack under the pressure. He was screaming but people had already ran away and it was just my dog, me and him. I walked up to him and put a hand on Glacial and she completely stopped biting but kept growling. I beat him. He must've passed out at some point because of the blood loss. Someone had to have called the cops because I heard them arriving. I looked down at Glacial. It was starting to get really dark but I could see the gleam of the blood. We ran."

Will couldn't judge her, he just couldn't. He could see the scene like he was a witness to it. For once he wasn't in the aggressor's shoes but in the victim one's and he felt what she felt. The anger at the world, the sting of memories, the anger at this man, the self-hate, the rush of adrenaline, the love for that dog. The fear. He felt like he was going to kill that man, and he was about to, he would've done so if it weren't for the cops coming.

"We ran home. I explained what happened to Papa and why we were both so bloody. Even with that he stayed unmovable. He will not let that stray enter. I washed her outside, fed her and fell asleep outside with her. A few weeks later, I went out on my usual run again but Glacial never appeared. I looked for her. Everywhere. And I found her."

Suddenly, without warning, Will was there, looking for the dog. The worry gnawing at him. He ran and looked and called out for the dog. A few streets later he found her. The dog was on her side, bleeding and immobile, surrounded by different man. One of them had his arm in a cast. The one that tried to assault her.

They had killed her dog.

Darkness engulfed Will's mind and he twitched back to reality. He looked at the girl in front of him. She was silent, her eyes darker than ever, he couldn't guess what she was thinking. And for the first time, Will couldn't see what she did, couldn't guess the events, because her eyes let nothing out, just like with Hannibal. But then she stared back at him and he gazed at the unsaid horror that she felt and what happened that day.

"Papa found me there. I was holding onto that stray like she was my life. He couldn't understand me. He couldn't understand the bond I had with a beast, he did not have the compassion to make him understand my tears. He was lost. I felt abandoned, stranded. He wondered about why I would not go on runs any more. He does not know nor understand. How far removed can you become?"

Her laugh was bitter then, and her expression twisted and almost angry. The silence that followed was heavy, and it pressed against Will's skull.

"You know... I collect stray dogs. If you want to, you could run with some of them. I'm sure they'll protect you."

"What?"

Will smiled then, taking off his bloody glasses. He wasn't lost in his head any more and the shock had ebbed away. He was more alive and conscious than ever and he wanted to pay back this girl that had opened up so easily just to make him feel at ease. He felt as if he had to protect her and help her heal wounds. He wanted to become closer to her and understand how she made him feel so at ease.

"If you want to, of course."

"I, uh, I'd love that, yeah."

She looked flustered but her bitter-sweet smile had softened into a thankful grin.

All of a sudden, Jack's shouting voice boomed and they both came back to reality. They looked around, seeing Jack glancing at them, Beverly unabashedly staring at them. She waved at them kindly and Will responded with a nod. There was an ER team waiting and talking peacefully on the side, leaving them a large circle. Evelyne smirked at him and got down the truck, dusting herself off.

"You're all good then!"


	6. Pomegranate

_I still do not own Hannibal. Short chapter, my bad! The next one will be longer, I promise!_

Chapter 6 – Pomegranate

Hannibal was afraid. It was rare when he admitted it, but he was. Evelyne had been more than agreeable to him since he came home from the hospital. She had nodded and told him she understood why he did it before he got to open his mouth. He was tense, and he did not trust her. He made sure that all of his knives were there, and he never showed her his back.

It lasted for one week. And then she cornered him on an evening, the sun going down, setting the sky on fire.

She had her crossbow (gifted to her by him) trained on him as soon as he walked in the foyer.

"Will proposed to me to go at his house regularly to go on runs with his dogs. You have no say in it. I will be taking my motorbike. If you ever try to trap me in the past, I will show just how much past beyond that I am." She raised her weapon and smiled amiably.

"I left you an example in the garden. I'm off to Will's workplace. Do not try me again, Tėvas."

With a small flourish, she turned around, her crossbow on her shoulder, heading for the hallway. He waited a few minutes to hear the door open and close, followed by the sound of the motor engine starting and going away. He breathed in and out, relaxing his tense muscle and calming down the 'fight and flight' instinct. He walked towards the backyard, his head empty for once. He got to the further back of it, following the small stone path and then branching off to the left where he could smell blood.

What he saw made him grin like he rarely did, all of his teeth showing, his lips stretched in a savage grimace. His eyes, usually so stony and dark looked bloody red in the setting light and they glinted with a monstrous pride. Oh he was not horrified, he was proud. Proud of the horror his daughter could create. Surely he had been wrong, she wasn't haunted by her demons now, She dominated them, and she made them her weapons and shields against him.

It was the body of one of his favourite client, an old and kind woman he almost considered a friend.

She was hung on his pomegranate tree, her arms cut in pieces and barbed wired to the branches, her fingers also cut and put at the start of other offshoots so she looked like she was becoming the tree. Her long silver grey hair were intertwined with the branches behind. Two of those branches were inside her eyes, replacing the eyeballs, and pomegranates seeds were sown on her cheek as if she was crying them. Her mouth sewn shut and her open empty stomach was like a gawking hungry mouth and Hannibal quickly understood what was her message with that. He would never be satiated with just what he had anymore. The scene made him hunger and he felt his stomach growl but he knew nothing had been left for him to eat. She had taken every piece of meat and destroyed them somehow, sewing or growing branches in them. The only thing that was there for him to eat was the two blue eyeballs, set at the foot of the tree, staring at him accusingly.

The message was clear.

' _Do not try me again, T_ _ėvas.'_

He bent down, and gobbled the eyes up.


	7. Reckless

_Still not owner of Hannibal._

Chapter 7 – Reckless

Will had just finished his class on how he had caught Garret Jacob Hobbs. He felt a bit sick and the reaction of his students had made him angry. He was on edge already, but the text of Evelyne had calmed him a bit. She was supposed to join him here so he could show her the way to his place. He had warned his dogs this morning to behave nicely. He wanted to pay back the debt he felt he had to Hannibal's foster daughter. She had been kind, attentive and easy to deal with. Contrary to most of the people he knew.

As if summoned, Alana entered his classroom and Will immediately felt like in a trap. While he was attracted to the beautiful woman, he knew she was too uneasy with him to make him feel like he was okay and not crazy. He decided to get it done with, since Evelyne might arrive soon.

"Hi."

"How are you, Will?"

He decided to answer sincerely, since she was making him tense and unnerve.

"Uh, I have no idea."

"Um, I didn't want you to be ambushed."

"So, this is an ambush?"

"Ambush is later. Immediately later soon to now. When Jack arrives, consider yourself ambushed."

And of course, here was the big bad wolf. Will straightened and threw back his shoulder, staring at Jack without flinching. He was starting to get tired to be treated like a broken china.

"Here's Jack."

"How was class?"

"They applauded. It was inappropriate."

"Well, the review board would beg to differ. You're up for a commendation. And they've, uh, okayed active return to the field."

Alana, who had stepped back, intervened.

"The question is, do you want to go back to the field?"

And of course, before Will could reply, Jack interrupted.

"I want him back in the field. And I've told the board I'm recommending a psych eval."

Will would have questioned it, maybe looked at Alana in other conditions, but he looked up and saw Evelyne, leaning on the wall, calmly reading a book, hiding a yawn behind her hand. She looked tired, like she had not slept well, and still she was there. He was a bit surprised to see a motorbike cask hanging off her arm.

"Fine, I guess Alana won't be the one doing it, so it must be Hannibal. Fine, I'll go. But I won't get therapy or anything. It's just for your, uh, beauty sleep I guess."

Alana and Jack both raised their eyebrows at him, expecting a fight or more resistance but Will was already packing and getting ready to leave hurriedly.

"Yes, I want to check if you didn't get too close to this. After all how many nights did you spend in Abigail Hobbs' hospital room, Will?"

He knew Jack was trying to pick up a fight, seeing what was wrong with him but Will only glanced up at Evelyne who was tucking her book away and caught his eyes. She waved as he replied, waving back at her. Alana looked back at who he was waving and saw the girl standing politely at a safe distance.

"Fine, I don't mind. No need to convince me. I got to go, so..."

Will passed them, ignoring their baffled look at his abruptness, and he walked up to Evelyne. He noticed the dark circles under her eyes, the way she was slightly glaring at Alana and Jack, though it was kept under wrap. She nodded politely at them though, her upbringing shining through.

"Did you wait long?"

"No, just enough to finish my chapter."

Will knew that Jack and Alana were watching them, he could feel their curious gaze which frazzled his nerves even more so. He heard them step closer and saw Evelyne straighten up but the tiredness she displayed made him angry: she was forced to deal with them because of him. Anger bubbled, the lack of trust his friends had in him, the rudeness of Jack dismissal, and Alana's confusing signals, fueling his feelings. He accepted their deal, hasn't fought them over it, what else did they want?! He won't let them ruin his afternoon he had been looking forward to. But before he could snap at them, he caught the mischievious spark in Evelyne's eyes, and she turned to them lavishly.

"If you are done, I shall kidnap our good Will here, he promised me fun times."

With that said, she swirled away, Will jogging slightly to catch up with her with a brief goodbye, holding in his laughter, knowing the two agents behind were flabbergasted. He would have felt a bit bad, but really, he wanted to see Evelyne interract with dogs, with the same fondness Will saw in when she talked about Glacial. And he had to admit it to himself, having that common link with the younger girl that she didn't have with Hannibal, it was a bit exhilirating. He didn't have anything against the doctor appart from him picking at his brain, but there was something about Evelyne that made him act a bit more naturally, his unafraid self, the one he craved to have back.

"I left my bike on the pavement, in front of the building. Should I meet you up at the Parking Lot exit? I saw it I think."

"Yeah, sure, it's on the left, all the way behind the main Hall. You'll follow behind my car? It is a bit far though, will you be okay on your bike?"

She scoffed, and looked at him cooly.

"Yes, of course, don't worry. I've been biking since a while now, though don't tell Jack, I don't want Hannibal in prison because he taught me how to safely drive before I got my licence."

Will chuckled a bit.

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

He watched her put on the helmet on and got to her bike where she put on a bigger jacket, made for biking. They joined outside, and he took the lead, watching her weave between the cars with her motorbike expertly. He briefly admired how she handled the roaring metallic beast under her, recognising the bike to be a MY 2015 Kawasaki Z800, mat black. He mentally thanked the doctor for being so stern about her safety and education, she did not took any risk and drove smoothly.

While he drove and peridiocally checked up on Evelyne with his rear mirror, he thought back to the previous few days.

As soon as he got checked out of the ER, he had went to Abigail Hobb's room. He knew it was a bit unhealthy and he should not have gotten attached, it would complicate a lot of things and it already brought him a psych eval. But he felt responsible for her, he knew it was because he got too much of Hobbs, and the paternal feelings were seeping through, yet, some of those feelings were from him. It had taken a bit of restless inner-searching,a few sleepless nights, but he had discovered that some were genuine.

He didn't know what was scariest.

The fact that Hobbs was still there, in the corner of his eye, ready to pounce, or the fact that he was getting fast attached to impressionable minds, that he could feel paternal towards Evelyne, of all of the people, the strange, stranded girl, with a complicated even stranger as a guardian. Getting attached to Evelyne meant getting closer to Dr Lecter, the ruthless psychiatrist that saw too much, but was too polite to say the truth out loud: 'you're crazy'. But her way of being, discreetly analysing on the side-lines, and yet, unable to be invisible, quite like her father-figure, she stood out whether she wanted it or not.

It had sparked something in him, to see her, blood splattered on her, it scared him to think that, but he thought it suited her, the blood on her lips, her hands almost dripping with it. It painted a strange picture of innocent violence. The darkness that he always had, on which he kept a tight leash on since his Homicide years had strained in his tired brain. And yet, when she took care of him, brought him out of shock and distracted him with private stories, he felt warmth spread inside him, the cold of the dread after killing someone ( **again** ), of seeing and yet not seeing ' _See? See?_ ', it all melted away under her touch, her voice, with that peculiar French lilt, dancing in his brain, replaced Jacob Hobbs' voice.

Today he might be able to pay her back for her thoughtfulness, to explore further those paternal feelings, his curiosity about her and Hannibal, that strange relationship they had ' _"Is everything alright?" "Yes. Do not worry. I just had to remind her of something she does not appreciate."_ '.It made him impatient.

He stopped at a red light and watched as Evelyne pulled up next to him. She tilted her helmet towards him and nodded towards the empty road, reeling her bike, the smoke billowing behind her, as she laid down on the front of her bike, like a racer. Will didn't had to think much to understand what she wanted to do. Truth be told, he shouldn't accept her challenge. He was the oldest adult, an ex-cop at that, and he has seen enough road-kills to know it was a stupid and immature idea.

Really he shouldn't.

It would be almost out-of-character.

He reeled his engine, clutched his wheel, and smiled with all his teeth. He felt elated, ten years younger, his body pumped with adrenaline. With no one in sight (it wasn't that surprising, so deep in the middle of nowhere), he pushed down the accelerator as soon as it turned green, the both of them racing over the road.

It was stupid, reckless, immature, fun.

He lost the race.


	8. Home Seeker

_Still don't own any of the characters._

Chapter 8 – Home Seeker

When they arrived at his house, he internally cringed. It looked so quaint and simple next to Dr Lecter's probable mansion. He got out of his car, his stuff in his hand, an apology already on his lips when the young girl cut him to it.

"That is a really good place you have there. Lots of space, calming. It's nice, suits you, I think."

"Huh, thanks. It's nothing much really. But I appreciate the solitude."

"I can understand that. Though it must get a bit lonely from time to time. By the way, you owe me a beer, I won after all."

Will scoffed and looked down at her, putting his fist on his hips, trying to look stern, though he knew he was failing at it.

"No alcohol for you lady. You are still underage."

"Pas dans mon pays!"

"Ce n'est pas une raison."

She looked disgruntled for a bit, more emotions seeping through her usual calm mask, the adrenaline of the race and the excitement of discovering a new place making her less aware of her facial expressions, contrary to her father, Dr Lecter seemingly always able to look impassive.

They walked to the porch and already the dogs were aware of them, scratching at the door and whining to be out.

"They might be over-excited. Been a while since they met someone new."

Evelyne nodded and he saw her minute-shift, putting more weigh on the front of her feet to avoid falling if she gets tackled by a dog. It made Will smile despite himself as he imagined a much younger version of her getting tackled by a not-so-stray dog.

As soon as he opened the door, the dogs rushed out and surrounded them, the shy ones staying near Will, while the curious ones made their way towards Evelyne to sniff at her. She crouched and patiently gave them her hand to sniff at. Winston and Buster quickle started head butting her, demanding pets and belly rubs, which she heartidly gave.

Will went in to put down his bag and put food in the bowls for those that had stayed and followed him. He went back in the porch, the nervousity seeping away from his heart at the scene. He looked on, leaning against the door. She had sat Indian-style on the porch, energitically rubbing Winston's neck, Buster had settled in her lap while Ruff sniffed at her bag, and Carl was trying to get her attention.  
She had a nostalgic but fond smile, and her eyes were soft, shining with unshed tears.  
She looked up when Carl gave up on taking Winston's place and went to ask Will for some petting, and her smile turned a bit more watery, her mask completely off.

"Thank you. I had missed this. Thank you Will."

He nodded, smiling back, the stress of the day completely forgotten.

They passed the afternoon playing with the dogs, going on a walk with them on his property and in the woods behind his house. They talked peacefully of everything and nothing, Will providing advice on her studies, and her telling him more about Hannibal. When the sun was setting, Evelyne left, promising the FBI Agent to be prudent on the road and to send a text when she got home.

When Hannibal heard the reaving of the motorbike pull up in the driveway, he glanced at the clock. He would never admit it but he had been a bit worried. He had finally realised that Evelyne had grew out of his shadows, that she had just been buying her time, learning from him, and becoming a monster of her own. It would not do to lose her now. He wasn't alone anymore, and yet not as emotionally remote as him. When she had become his charge, she was already broken enough that his influence had seeped through. The sadism he had brewed into her; the artistic talent she naturally got from her mother; but he had sharpened it.

Despite this new development, he did not regret his previous action at the Hobbs' estate. Evelyne had grown too secure in her cocoon, hiding behind him. He felt it was time for a change in their dynamic, and he could nurture her further, expand her vision and their strange family, create a place, a home, away from the plebs, where they could indulge in their sins. What beauty would they brought together? Now that he knew the potential she had, plans upon plans appeared.

He had been bored in the last few years, starved for inspiration and suddenly Will, with his all-seeing eyes, sharp tongue and breaking mind had appeared, making his beloved child blossom, bloodying her hands and mind, tainting her tongue with the addictive taste that murder brings. His monster was pacing, hopeful and excited.

She had killed before, of course, helped him harvest some food, get rid of some pigs. But it was not with forethought of beauty, meaning. It had only been practical, unenthusiastic, convenient. Now Hannibal saw it as what it had been: practice.

Hannibal started cooking as soon as he had memorised his present and taken it down. His goal was to soothe their rather strained relations with her favourite French dishes and while those specific ones would have been below him, simple and boring, they were her favourites', nostalgic in nature. So he had started with the entrée, their shared favourite one, foie gras (human of course) toasted with a simple césar salad, with parmesan and grape tomatoes. Then it was a coq-au-vin, accompanied by unpeeled tomatoes (probably the only thing that Evelyne's mother could cook herself that did not came from a tin can). The desert was a home-made crème brûlée au caramel. He was currently putting the last touch to the table, a black and gold fruit bowl filled with pomegranates, open and ripe, with some vines and ferns, and in the middle sat a human skull with a wreath of flowers on it.

It suited her, that fruit and the significance behind. Hadès's fruit, Persephone's demise, what trapped her in the dead's kingdom. Truly, she had chosen it well.

His foster daughter walked in, messily tying her hair out of her face in a messy ponytail, the biker's jacket, shoes and bag no-where to see. The Doctor studied her, how her clothes were slightly rumpled from the drive, her jeans dirtied by dogs and walks outside. As she got closer he breathed in, her distinct smell of jasmine (the same as her mothers') but also of dogs and grass. Surprisingly, he could also discern the smell of Will and his, mixing with hers. It confused and intrigued him at the same time and he frowned a bit. He filed it for a later study, smiling at Eve and hugging her as she kissed his cheek. She smiled back, her grin somehow happy, tired, content and exasperated, all tied together. She had gotten that from her childhood years when her mother was still alive.

The insufferable woman had always been very hard to read, a mature version of Evelyne, unreadable eyes and confusing smiles. It was what had made him stick around, but that woman had used her emotions like a shield and weapon, especially against him. He had loved their debates, their verbal dance. He had exceptionally appreciated it when he had witnessed her use it against other people. He had... Loved (as much as someone like him could love) that about her.

He felt fondness and nostalgia sweep through him and he smiled, one of his real, rare smiles that he reserved for her and her only. He didn't mind to show his real self, monster and human. He kissed her cheek back and guided her to her place at his right.

"I take it your afternoon with Will went well?"

"Very well, yes. It made me feel good to be with dogs again. Made me remember Glaciale. He has many stray dogs, an isolated humble and a very malleable personality."

"Oh?"

Evelyne, his vicious vixen, drank the wine he had served, and ate a bit, before smiling with all her teeth, dark and slightly rueful, which made Hannibal understand that she knew why he had planned the Hobbs' disaster.

"I understand Papa. I get it. I saw it in him. It is there, I felt it. With a small twist, a push, he will become-"

"Gorgeous."

They bit in the liver, smiling sharply, planning together this time.

Together, they will create what their damned soul craved. A Home.


	9. Rift

_Reminder I still do not own Hannibal, Bless my god Bryan Fuller for that._

Chap 9 : Rift

Hannibal was thrilled. Will was supposed to be here soon. Eve, and he blessed her for that, had relayed to him what had happened with Jack and Alana and the Agent's feeling on it. With her help he knew he'd convince the man. After all, when Eve found something she wanted, was motivated to get it, she became like a hunting hound. It was easy for him to use it to his advantage, especially with Will and what he coould bring to the both of them. Oh! He would be such a beautiful fallen angel at their sides. Hannibal the Lion, Eve the Vixen and Will, the unknown creature, yet to be born. It was what they needed.

He had just finished signing the paper that he heard a knock on his door's office. He glanced at the clock: right on time, perfect. He may have been a patient hunter, but he found incredibly rude people that did not bother to be on time.

He opened the door and smiled politely.

"Good evening. Please, come in."

The doctor immediately felt the tension in the young man as he walked in his office. He looked around and went straight to the ladder, observing the many books, having heard of them by Evelyne and Hannibal. They both sit down in the leather chair, the doctor fully focusing on Will, a smile tickling the corner of his mouth. He slid the official paper towards the Agent who looked at it as if it might bite him.

"What's this?"

"Your psychological evaluation. You are totally functional and more or less sane. Well done."

The irony of his remark made him smile even more, a small smirk that Will had seen on Eve when she felt particularly mischievious. The Agent raised a skeptical eyebrow, glancing back and forth between the innocent piece of paper and the doctor.

"Did you just rubber stamp me?"

"Jack Craword may lay his weary head to rest knowing he didn't break you and our conversation can proceed unobstructed by paperwork."

Will studies Hannibal a moment, not completely looking at the doctor's eyes, their darkness and void instinctively scaring him. He felt back to Eve's words on the psychiatrist help he provided for her, his calm and impassivity making him into a rock a refuge in a storm.

"Jack thinks I need therapy."

Hannibal pondered for a moment, his face taking a thoughtful tone. Then, he asserted:

"I'm not sure therapy will work on you. Stealing into other minds has taught you how to fortify your own. On this regard, you are quite like Eve."

"That's what I said to him. Maybe that is why I find it so easily to talk to your daughter. She seems to understand. She has quite a few praising words on your therapy."

"Thank you. It was challenging to break down her barriers, especially as she was very young. As her, what you need is a wy out of dark places when Jack send you there."

A shore during a storm, a touch to bring him back from what lies in the recesses of his mind. The simplicity of that strikes Will and made him thought back to Eve's casual distraction after the Hobbs's disaster.

"Last time he sent me into a dark place, I brought something back."

Will was about to refute the doctor until he debated. He knew he had. He sighed and looked to the side. He didn't want to rile the man in front of him, and let him believe it was only Abigail. As he glanced back at Hannibal though, he knew the man had guessed.

"Not cause I got too close to Hobbs."

"You saved Abigail Hobbs' life. You also orphaned her. It comes with certain emotional obligations, regardless of empathy disorders. But it's not only her, is it?"

"You were there. You saved her life, too. Do you feel obligated?"

Hannibal noticed the not-so discreet way of ignoring his last remark and smiled. Such a clever mind, sharp enough to throw everything back at him.

"I feel a staggering amount of obligation. I feel responsabilities just like I felt when I was given Eve's charge. It almost feels nostalgic. I've fantasised about scenarios where my actions may have allowed a different fate for Abigail Hobbs. I've done so before with Evelyne, especially with her... circumstances."

Will studies Hannibal, feeling a sense of camaraderie, smiled ruefully.

"Eve has become strong, you have done an amazing job raising her."

"I hope so."

Will sighed, Jack's domineering attitude fraying his nerves, even when he isn't there.

"Jack thinks Abigail Hobbs might've helped her dad kill those girls."

A long and tense silence fell on them and Will shifted on his chair. He cursed bringing Jack up.

"How does that make you feel?"

Will frowned, he knew how he felt. Instead of replying, he let his curiousity speak.

"How does it make **you** feel?"

Because he was looking for it, he saw the minute twitch at Hannibal's eyes, and the slight pinch of his lips, an expression he had seen before, on Evelyne's more expressive face.

"I find it vulgar."

"Me too."

The psychiatrist face took a more surprised tone, genuinely startled by Will's frank reply. He tilted his face and Will couldn't stop himself from chuckling.

"What is it?"

"Sorry, it's just... I can see the resemblance. Evelyne does the same thing, the head-tilt."

"I was not aware. That is somehow not surprising."

They both smiled softly and Will was thankful for the brief respite in the session. It was obviously broken by Hannibal who leaned forward a bit, his contenance going back to his professional self.

"However, going back to Jack's suspicions, it is also entirely possible."

The mood was completely broken and Will backed away, suddenly very protective of both Abigail and himself. The doctor was such a strange man to talk to, and the Agent felt unbalanced, thrown in a loop with no hands on the wheel.

"It's not what happened."

The doctor sighed, already guessing that Will had retreated back into his fortress. Still, he was satisfied. He had started to bond, and threw some seeds, tested the grounds. He decided to back off as well, rounding up the therapy.

"Jack will ask her when she wakes up or he'll have one of us ask her. Maybe even Evelyne."

"Not if I have a say in it. I won't let Jack pester Eve."

If the doctor was surprised by the vehemency of Will's declaration, he didn't show, staying stoic and silent, like a great Greek statue. Will sighed again and, unnerved, racked a hand through his hair.

"Anyway, is this therapy or a support group?"

"It's whatever you need it to be." Hannibal leaned forward, trying to catch the empath's eyes. "Will, the mirrors in your mind can reflect the best of yourself and the worst of someone else."

Will paused, and let that sink in. He dubiously looked at Hannibal, straight into the dark eyes, noticing the small red glint they had, almost like mahogany wood.


	10. Rotten

_Still do not own Hannibal !_

Chap 10 : Rotten

Will was in Jack's car, going to a new crime-scene. He was reading the descriptive file, frowning in thoughts. Another twisted mind. Somehow, and he would never admit it to Jack or anyone, but he found them fascinating, morbidly so. It hurted to have them take control of his brain but he always stored them somewhere. And if in the dark of the night, at the witching hour, he goes back to them, no one would know.

He startled at Jack increasingly loud voice. He noticed that they were approaching the scene and guilty excitement flooded in him.

"Will! WILL! Where were you? I've been talking to you for a while now."

"Sorry, I was focused."

"Nevermind. Say, was it really Hannibal's daughter that came last time when you were teaching?"

"Yes, we had agreed she'd come play with the puppies."

Jack glanced at him before finding a parking spot. "I also saw you too after the whole Hobbs' debacle."

"What are you trying to say Jack?"

"Nothing, I'm just curious is all. I hope the Doctor won't get the wrong idea is all."

They stepped out of the vehicle, Will's grimace of distate clear on his face. How could Jack even hint at that? The empath was appalled by it, almost sick at the stomach. He just felt a bond with the girl. They shared a lot of things, common points and views, their debates on French Literature were always challenging, and he had this sort of craving to protect her, to break her façade and made her at ease. It was only in those brief moment when she'd run with one of his dogs, or when they'd sit on the porch of his simple home, watching the sun set, it was in those moments when Will knew he had succeeded. Her smiles were truer, softer, her eyes sparkled. He felt proud of him and her. She was a kind girl. He didn't know when it had started, who had started it, but they had their own game, trying to decipher each other's expressions and body language.

He wondered though. Why did he felt at ease with Eve? Even with her father, to whom she resembled greatly, he had a harder time to look in the eyes.

He smoothed it out into a tired and exasperated frown before glancing back at his superior.

"There's no 'wrong idea' anywhere Jack. I'm just... friends with her. Her and the doctor Lecter speak French and they've been teaching me again."

"Right. By the way, Lecter gave you the 'all clear'. Maybe therapy does work on you."

"Therapy is an... acquired taste I have yet to acquire but sure served your purpose. I'm back in the field."

His dry tone made Jack eye him thoughtfully which frazzled the Agent's nerves that much more. Thankfully Jack didn't push and changed topic with a discreet sigh.

"Local police found more small animal traps in the surrounding woods. They even discovered a thirty gallon drum of pesticide hidden in a hollow tree along with a rusted Radio Fyer wagon."

"Didn't want his 'crop' disturbed."

Jack scoffed at the thought. "All that's missing is a scarecrow."

Hannibal let Will enter, the younger man right on time. He observed Will as he looked around and hid his smirk when he saw the Agent's eyes light up when he noticed Evelyne on the balcony, reading and swinging her legs. She waved and smiled, exchanging niceties with Will as she slid down the ladder.

"Well then, je vais à mon récital, je rentrerais directement à la maison Papa. Don't wait for me! See you soon Will, good luck!"

With that she almost skipped out of the room leaving the two men speechless and confused. They looked at each other and shared a small smile, Hannibal relishing in the moment, thanking his daughter for her smooth handling of the situation,proud as ever on her acting.

They went over the lush seat, listening as a motorbike took off, both knowing who it was. Hannibal studied Will, something was a bit off and he didn't know what yet. His eyes looked almost haunted, distracted, they wouldn't settled on anything like they usually did and he shifted twice before leaning forward, pushing the psych-eval Hannibalhad signed just a few days ago. Will sighed again.

"This may have been premature."

If Hannibal had not such a complete control over his reactions then he would have scoffed. Instead he slid it back towards Will, stretching his torso towards the man, enjoying the wiffs of nature and dog smell.

"They'll revoke my rubber stamp."

"Maybe they should."

Hannibal frowned slightly and tilted his head, remembering Eve's word on the Agent's self-deprecation.

"What did you see? Out in the field?"

He saw the man consider the question, debating with himself while Hannibal's curiousity rose higher.

"Hobbs."

"Hm. An association?"

The empath shook his head and passed his hand through his curly messy hair.

"A hallucination. I saw him lying there... In someone else's grave."

A thought sprung in the psychopath's head, the monster in him grinning.

"Did you tell Jack what you saw?"

"No."

The monster almost drooled and Hannibal swallowed, keeping his professional mask.

"It's stress. Not worth reporting. The mechanism that distinguishes conscious perceptions from internal perceptions misfired. You displaced the victim of another killer's crime with what could arguably be considered your victim."

He saw the Agent flinch.

"I don't consider Hobbs my victim."

"What do you consider him?"

"Dead."

"Is it harder imagining the thrill somebody else feels killing now that you've done it yourself?"

"Yes."

Hannibal appreciated the simple honesty of that answer, but when he saw Will look to the sides shiftily, he knew there was something to dig there. He let it pass, not wanting to back the Agent to the corner again. He trusted Evelyne to read him better. After all, she was more humane than him. He changed the subject, thinking of the crime file he had been given, the morbid fascination stirring in him.

"The arms. Why did he leave them exposed? To hold their hand? Feel the life leaving their body?"

He didn't get that, but he saw Eve do it a few times, when she was emotionally involved with the pig. She had explained she liked to feel life slip away like grains of sand or water between fingers. He focused back in the present, attentive to the empath, as always.

"Too esoteric for someone who took the time to bury his victims in a straight line. He's more practical."

Without Will notcing, the doctor shifted, hungry for the man's mind, drinking the words and thoughts like honey.

"He was cultivating them?"

"He was keeping them alive. Feding them fluids intravenously."

"Your farmer let his crops die, save for the one that didn't."

Hannibal was so proud of his joke, he regretted his daughter wasn't there, she would've liked it.

"The one that didn't died on the way to the hospital. They weren't crops." Suddenly Will's eyes seemed to lit up and while the Agent hid it well, the psychiatrist was looking for it and he saw the dark victorious smirk. "They were the fertilizer. The bodies were covered in fungus."

"Mycelium kill forest over and over, building deeper soil to grow larger and larger trees."

Will raised an eyebrow, still surprised of the foutain of knowledge he seemed to have. Then he remembered Eve's comment, that he took great care on the freshness of the product he used in his cooking, especially since French's cuisine used a lot of mushrooms. He shook his head slightly. His mind whirred back to life, the clogs running faster and faster.

"If it were just about the soil, why bothher keeping the victims alive?"

"The structure of a fungus mirrors that of the human brain. An intricate web of connections. Evelyne used ocompare it o human's veins. She found them fascinating."

"Then, maybe he admires their ability to connect the way human minds can't."

The doctor's eyes crinkled at the corner, showing a hint of a smile or a thoughtful frown, Will still couldn't read him.

"Yours can."

"Not physically. No with reciprocity."

He saw the tilt of the doctor's face, so similar to his daughter. He suddenly felt a cold seeping loneliness sweep through him. He wanted this done now. He craved the pure simple love of his hounds. He froze when he realised he wanted to see Evelyne as well. He passed a hand through his hair and over his face, rubbing his eyes and hiding his face from the doctor. He felt guilty, and Jack's rotting comments resonated through him. The paternal cravings were getting stronger and it scared him. Bad.

"Is that what your Farmer is looking for? Some sort of connection."

Maybe that's what Will also wanted.

* * *

Hannibal got home late, but the lights were on and the smell of cooking was wafting through the air. He put down his vest and took out his shoes, following the sound of the piano.

Evelyne had her hair up, as she usually had when at home, playing the islanka piece 'Von'. She was smiling, her eyes far-away, not focused, but not at ease either, it was just like the Mona Lisa, a mysterious expression. She tilted her head towards him as he stepped behind her and she threw her head back, never stopping playing, and Hannibal bowed down to kiss her forehead. Her smile grew, and he smiled back, the paternal love and pride he had almost overwhelming.

"Food is in the oven."

His smiled stretched and he slid his hand around her throat, relishing in her trust and relaxed muscled. She continued her piano, going into the end crescendo, not wavering at all. He kissed her throat and got back up, letting his hand at th back of her neck.

"Merci ma petite renarde."

He went to the kitchen and looked into the oven. It was boudin aux pommes, a French meal he adored. However he didn't remember making boudin recently, and when he heard the soft footsteps of his daughter, he glanced back.

"Is that fresh meat?"

"Yes, I went hunting."

"Oh? Who may I ask?"

'Don't remember her name, but that pig from the Hobb's work."

His grin became thirsty and bloody and he hugged her tight, twirling her, valsing with her to the Beethoven Sonata 17 Tempest in D minor. Eve laughed, so much like her mother Hannibal realised, and twirled with him.


	11. Dinners

_Sorry for the long wait, Exam period means loads of essays to write in a very short amount of time drugged on coffee and no-sleep, and random exams._

 _Still do not own Hannibal._

Chap 11 : Dinners

They set the table together, Evelyne telling about her day and her papers she almost finished. When the food was served, it was Hannibal's turn to recount his day. He didn't care much about patients confidentiality, not with his daughter anyway, who could give him some insight in emotional manipulation. Of course he knew how to pretend, but she had the same gift as her mother, like a sharp rapier. He had witnessed her bringing a men to his knees, begging for torture just by using words and feelings. She was a silver-tongued monster, and he feared for her future victims, when Evelyne would sharpen it and use it like her mother used to.

And then, he mentioned his rather surprising meeting with Freddie Lounds.

"Freddie Lounds? You mean that... Pig that write the trash you are so fond of?"

Hannibal sighed, still thankful she restrained her insults. He knew how she felt about the TattleCrime. It wasn't quite the content, more the way it was written. She took great pride in her writing skills, and her grades and papers reflected it.

"Yes, her. She was listening in on Will's sessions."

A thoughtful silent fell on them and he observed Eve as she put her elbows next to her empty plate, reaching for a pomegranate. She tilted her head and Hannibal's eyes widened as he remembered Will laughing at their similar mannerism. He smiled again.

"That's rude. What did you do?"

Ignoring the question, he asked her "Why is that rude?".

"Are you for real Papa? Ca ne se fait pas! Will est à nous! She cannot meddle in!"

Her accent got thicker and she showed her unhappiness by ripping into the fruit and eating the grains. The Cannibal thought about it: probably one of those social rules he didn't quite followed.

"My apologies dear, but do not worry, I made sure she deleted everything and reminded her of her place. However, do not harm her, she can be useful to push him in a corner."

Her eyes glinted, the dark blue speckles seemingly shining on their own. As she thought, Hannibal remembered her mother, Her deep blue eyes like the night sky, shining over a glass of wine, with a finished meal he had prepared. She was not yet pregnant at the time. He remembered his mouth on her throat as she practiced her next Opera piece. He remembered when she would not tell who was the father and the pride in her voice when she held her child. He remembered her tears when the dark bruises appeared on her skin and her daughter impassivity. He remembered her anger when she ended things with her former lover and sang to his harpsichorde. He remembered her fair hair turned murky with blood and the rattling wet sounds of her breaths, begging him. He remembered Eve smiling in blood.

He fell back in the present when he felt a hand on his. The doctor looked up to his daughter, who raised an eyebrow. Her cheeks were flushed with the wine, her lips in a pout, her hair messily tumbling out of its ponytail.

"Papa?"

"Yes my dear daughter?"

"I was saying, I hope she will back him in our corner. Are you okay?"

"Just thoughtful. Say, what would you say if we invited Jack over tomorrow?"

"Okay Papa, whatever you want."

"Will you play Clair de Lune for me tonight?"

"Yes, of course Papa."

He could see her frown. He only asked her to play that song when he was reminescent of her mother.

Hannibal served the dish with a flourish. The day had been bland and boring, he had hunted alone as Eve was at Will's. She had come home and went straight into the shower while he was welcoming Jack and giving him a tour. She was coming down, dressed in a simple black dress with a lacy back and bow.

"My apologies for my lateness, Monsieur Crawford."

"No no, don't worry about that, call me Jack, please."

"But-"

"I insist."

"Very well, Jack." She sat in front of him. She smiled and thanked her father as he served her some wine.

The Doctor made another trip to the kitchen and came back with the main meal.

"Loin served with a Cumberland sauce of red fruits. Strawberries, rasberries, currants."

"What kind of loin?"

"Pork."

"The best quality meat." His daughter added, with a bright and proud smile. Hannibal smiled at her, nodding as he took his seat in front of his own plate or 'pork'. It had actually been a rude journalist, one that had tried to destroy his daughter's fame in her musical career.

Jack smiled, and smelled the food, his un-educated nose probably only picking the fruity sauce he had whipped up.

"It's rare I get a home-cooked meal."

Eve tilted her head and indicated the silver band around Jack's ring finger with a delicate gesture of her hand.

"I thought you married. Was I wrong to assume as much?"

The agent shook his head as Eve drank her wine, humming in pleasure as the deep-fruity taste hit her taste-buds.

"My wife and I both work. Hard as I tried not to, I married my mother." He chuckled at his own joke on psychology clichés. Hannibal and Eve looked at each other, cuhckling politely but truly despising the easy joke.

"Your mother didn't cook?" The Doctor tried to change subjects.

"Oh no, she cooked. I just wished she didn't." The three of them laughed at that.

"My mother was quite the same, Hannibal was the one that tried to feed us correct food."

"Oh yes, after that first meal she made me, I understood she was a hopeless cooker. I am glad that you Eve, didn't took too much after her in that matter."

Eve giggled, and Jack nodded along, smiling bemusedly at the two of them before going back to the topic.

"My mother, she used to make this dish she liked to call Oriental Noodles. Spaghetti, soy sauce, bouillon cube and spam." Hannibal almost sneered at that, restraining himself enough to just make a small grimace. Eve nodded along though, as if she understood perfectly. Thinking back on it, she probably did. "I was a thin child." Jack added as he took another bite.

Hannibal smiled, the monster in him grinning madly, proud of himself. Oh if only Jack knew, maybe he would have preferred his mother's spaghetti to human meat.

"Next time, bring your wife. I'd love to have you both for dinner."

Eve and him shared a secret smile, Jack complete ignorance made the both of them feel victorious.

Jack washes that last bite down with a swig of wine. He finally broached the subject he wanted to talk about since he had gotten to the Doctor's place.

"I'm curious why Will went back to see you after you signed off on him. Though he was not as adamant about not going as I had thought. Maybe Eve's presence had helped with that." He glanced at her, her face was a blank mask, just a polite smile. She looked quite like her father, adopted or not.

He didn't know what to think of her really. She confused him a lot. At first, he thought she was a normal teenager, easily annoyed, just polite through Hannibal's probable square education. But then she had been at the crime scene. As a trainee, she had done exceedingly well taking the events into consideration. But as a teenager, she had acted very strangely; protective beyond normal towards Will, she had glared at all of them and comandeered an ER ambulance. She had murmured things to him, no one knew what, but they had seen them, holding hands, even smiling. They had created an impenetrable bubble and it had made a lot of the agents uneasy. Had it been the glare and protective touch of Eve on Will or the quite surprising change in personality from Will. And then she had changed again, interrupted them after Will's class. Apparently they had made plans to meet. He didn't know how it had happened but the both of them had grown close enough to be protective of each other and he didn't know the doctor's stance on it.

He looked at the psychiatrist but only saw a blank and polite smile, though his eyes had taken an almost cunning glint.

"I lost the stick, kept the carrot."

Jack frowned, skeptical. "Insisting on a Psych Eval for a guy like Will Graham is hardly a stick."

"As a psychiatric professional, I feel duty-bound to point out that blackmailing somebody int therapy tends to negate positive benefits."

Jack took a sip of wine and savours it, ignoring that last comment. He continued to observe Evelyne from the corner of his eyes. She had not reacted nor added anything to the conversation, but continued to drink her small glass of wine. He realised she looked quite mature like that.

"Hmm. This wine is delicious. Though, I do not think your daughter is of legal age."

Lecter inclined his head.

"Piorat from Catalonia. She is French, wine is part of their everyday meal. And with her additional work in the concert hall, she has to be used to it in coktail parties."

Jack nodded, saw a good excuse when he saw one but he let it pass. He understood the reasoning behind it, and her mature-look. He didn't knew though, that she was part of the Concert Hall. He'll have to look it up. He swiftly changed the topic again, trying to make the doctor slip up, though he knew it wouldn't work.

"Why did he go back?"

Hannibal looked at his daughter, as though he instinctively knew she wanted to say something. He nodded at her and she delicately put her glass down.

"A guy like Will Graham? He knows he needs some sort of stability, especially if he is going back on the crime scenes."

The doctor nodded. "Yes. I'm sure he recognises the necessity of his own support structure if he's to go on supporting you in the field."

"Evelyne, you know quite a bit about Will."

"Yes, we seem to understand each other. He can understand me, and I understand what he is going through, with father being so frustrating."

It startled a laugh out of Jack, and he glanced at Lecter's face, but he was chuckling softly.

"Well, Will Graham knows exactly what's going on in his head, which is why he doesn't want anyone in there."

"Are you not accustomed to broken ponies in your stable?"

The mood suddenly shifted, suddenly colder.

"You think Will's a broken pony?"

"I think you think Will's a broken pony. You ever lost a pony Jack?"

Jack shifted, and looked at the two of them, trying not to think back on his failed attempt with Miriam Lass. The teenager was completely at ease, settled back in her chair, like a cat that just ate the canary while Hannibal looked like a lion ready to sink his teeth in a zebra. He shook the image out of his head. The doctor was just doing his job, psycho-analysing, and Evelyne was just interested in the conversation.

"If you're asking if I've ever lost someone in the field, yes. Why?"

"I want to understand why you're so delicate with Will. Because you didn't trust him or because you're afraid of losing another pony?"

He still felt attacked and blandly replied: "I've had my Psych Eval."

Hannibal smiles warmly. "Not be me." A cough -that suspiciously sounded like a laugh and a 'show off'- interrupted him and he glared towards his daughter. "You've already told be about your mother. Why stop there."

Jack smiles, his previous thoughts on the two forgotten. However he stayed unbudging.

* * *

 _Translation:_ "Merci ma petite renarde." → _Thank you my little vixen_

"Are you for real Papa? Ca ne se fait pas! Will est à nous! She cannot meddle in!" → _"Are you for real Papa? It's not something one do! Will is ours! She cannot meddle in!"_


	12. Voices

_I still do not own Hannibal. Thank you for reviews._

chap 12 : Voices

Will had once again came with Jack. They had narrowed down the profile of the killer to a pharmacist. He was actually proud of himself, he had had complete control over his hallucinations and his analysis had been sound. He had even found an ally in Beverly. He liked the enthusiatic girl. She was so different from him and yet very natural. He wasn't one-hundred percent at ease with her, he liked the challenging way she talked to him. He saw a bit of Evelyne's natural banter in her.

He breathed slowly, ignoring the heavy silence in the knew Jack had dinner with Hannibal. They probably had talked about him. Eve had texted him after the event, the only thing he got out of her was that she didn't appreciate Jack. She found him 'uncouth'.

He almost chuckled out loud but Jack was parking in front of a seemingly calm and ordinary Pharmacy. Things look quiet, almost deserted. But Will knows better. He can see movements in the shadows, agents taking up positions, weaving like a pack of wolves, trained and armed, organised like a well-oiled machine and Will felt strangely dissaciotiated from them.

He and Jack approached the main doors, like regular customers. Not really feeling up to chat, Will kept to the back, his eyes fleeting from one detail to another, his mind buzzing with thoughts that were not his own. Yet, Jack did not let him stray into his mind.

"She's the eighth diabetic customer of the chain to disappear after filling an insulin prescription, secnod from this exact location."

"The other seven?" It was a strange coincidence, but that was a bit far-fetched. Was Jack reaching for straws already?

"All over the county. One pharmacist has been all over the county, too."

Realisation filled Will instantly, and his mind focused solely on what was going to happen. It wasn't a coincidence. It was proof now:

"A floater."

"Floater's floating right here. Still logged into his work station."

Will squinted. Was that a pun? He didn't get the time to think on it, his socially stunted brain registering Jack's movements. He was already walking confidently, like the Alpha of the wolve's pack. Will follows behind him, but something in the back of his mind grates at him. _'You should be on front. You can be so much more than a follower. You're the Al-'_ He cut it short, shaking his head discreetly. It had sounded like a strange mix of Eve's and his voice. She always tried to make him more assertive, even Doctor Lecter had seem to want that. He breathed in, and focused on what was going on.

Jack was showing his badge to the pharmacists, six of them. He must've told them to put their hands in the air, and with the FBI agents pointing guns at them, they must've been quick to do so.

"I'm Special Agent Jack Crawford. Which one of you is Eldon Stammets?"

One of them, the manager probably, took upon himself to reply to Jack, even though Will knew they were all afraid.

"What's happening?"

"One of your customers didn't go to work this morning after picking up a prescription here yesterday, filled by Eldon Stammets." Will wouldn't have said it like that. It almost sounded like they had no proof whatsoever. "We have reason to believe he abducted her."

One of the pharmacist immediately replied.

"Eldon was just here. Just now."

Jack signals his agents and like _dogs_ they fan out. Will looks back to the entrance. "His car still in the parking lot?"

There's a sudden rush to the parking lot, and Jack and Will follow the shaking finger of the guiding pharmacist towards a car. Will catches the crowbar that Jack (or an Agent he didn't really noticed) gave him and smashes the driver side window. He reaches in, searching for a second before he pops the trunk. He hurries back, towards the trunk and lifts it and immediately regrets it as a foul stench hit him. He finally notices Jack and Brian Zeller next to him as they recoil.

The trunk is filled with a dark and rich soil. But Will knows. He feels it. He recovers, like always, and shovels arms-full of dirt. He nudges something, feels something smooth, like skin. He grasps it and pulls.

"She's in here!"

"EMTs, now."

He reveals her face, half-hidden with an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose. Jack calls for the EMT, and the empath steps away from the warm and smooth naked skin as the EMT rush in.

She's quickly loaded into the back of an ambulance, Will feeling hopeless next to Jack brooding mass. The older man breaths in, the empath feeling the frustration in his boss.

"We know his name. We know where he lives. We have his car. We'll leave him within 24 hours."

They wait in silence until Jimmy Price approaches them with a sort of hesitance, almost trepidation. The agent immediately tensed. Jimmy was usually a pretty bubbly men, but something was wrong. Dread curled in the pit of his stomach.

"Jack. We just checked his browser history at Stammets' work station."

"Do I want to hear this?"

"No. And yes. But mostly no."

Jack turns around, stomping back towards the pharmacy, letting Will and the other agents t follow him. Despite the adrenaline and dread mixing in his body, the voice in Will's head picked up again ' _worthless little pharmacist. Thinks he is all clever._ ' This wasn't Eve's voice. Who's voice and feelings was that? Hobbs? No. No. It was his. Will's voice. _'Do not be dull Will. You know better. Stammet is only a little fish.'_ That was definitely Eve. _'Will. Calm down.'_. Was that Lecter's? Too many, they rushed and battled together in his head and he craved peace and quiet. He felt the medication rattled in their bottles in his pocket. He restisted his call as they arrived at the work station of Stammets.

Jack pulls up the internet browser and reveals a full screenshot of Will. His body froze, and his mind quietened before suddenly screaming, anger and disappointment and a rush of excitation warring and howling in him. Will was standing in the crime scene, head hung low. That was alright, though he felt, at the time, safe. No it was the headline. Glaring and insulting that made him grind his teeth. He didn't know if he wanted to grin or to shout.

" **TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE."**

Everyone was packed around the screen, and Will felt trapped. He wanted to reach his phone, call Doctor Lecter for some stability and understanding, or even Eve for her challenging banter and bottomless mysterious understanding. He wanted to see them both, to rant at them and to feel almost accepted by them. He didn't feel well and he stumbled discreetly. Beverly seemed to sense his claustrophobia and moved a step back, to give him more space. He felt thankful and grateful. Beverly threw him a small smiled before reading the article.

"The FBI isn't just hunting psychopaths, they're head-hunting them, too, offering competitive pay and benefits in the hopes o using one demented mind to catch an-... She goes into a lot of details."

"Son-of-a-bitch."

Will knew he was pale. He felt sick with anger. Rightful anger. He didn't know what he wanted to do. The voice had quietened, but maybe he would like some of them back.


	13. Sleep

_I still do not own Hannibal. I appreciate all reviews and thoughts !_

Chap 13 : Sleep

Hannibal was at his desk, writing down his notes from his last patient. Or at least it was what he was supposed to do. He was on his tablet, reading the article from on his browser. He smiled softly. He hopped Will would come to them, or at least thought of Hannibal and Evelyne. Even if he didn't, antagonising Lounds can only bring good things, bring the lost empath into their dark world, to show them that some humans did not deserve much respect or care. He continued his readings.

"Oh, Miss Lounds. Aren't you lucky I convinced my daughter of your worth. She would have mawled you in the most beautiful way I'm sure."

Hannibal almost regretted it, he would have loved to see her daughter's protective anger, her wrathful piece of art. He was glad though that she wasn't here but at her recital. He didn't want to be on the receiving end of her frustrated anger.

Will had called Evelyne in the end. Lecter had replied by text that he had an urgency with one of his more unstable clients and was unable to be there, but the forethinking psychiatrist had told him that Eve was most likely done with her recital and her close-combat training. She had indeed finished everything on her planner and was intending to go home, however since he had called, she'd hop in at the hospital.

He had waited for her in the main hall and when she'd come in, her soft smile had immediately soothed him. She still had her sports' clothes, her hair put in a messy ponytail. They had talked a bit until they walked to Abigail's room. He noticed the small glare she sent the girl but let it go. He didn't want to think too much of it. They settled on the couch, and talked more. Will finally got to rant about Lounds's article and Eve had joined him. He was surprised at her sharp tongue, but her insults (mingling French and English) had startled a laugh out of him and they ended up laughing like mad people.

Will was sitting, Eve had fell asleep against him and he let her rest on his shoulder. She had bruises on her arms from the intense training session she had. The teenager (almost an adult he reminded himself) must have been exhausted, and her violon case rested against training bag that rested against her leg. She had invited him to her spectacle that is still being prepared. He had obviously accepted. He sat silently in his chair, considering Abigail. _Click-cluck Click-cluk_. Again. The sounds of hooves like in his dream. The stag. That strange beautiful creature. He sees it then, walking past the doorway. The feathers in his fur ruffles, and it looks straight at him and Eve. He has to follow it; he has to.

Alana had been called by Jack. He had told her what had happened, the article and Will's shaky leave. She knew he'd be here. Her heels clicked on the floor and she stopped in front of the open doorway. She glanced at the couch and stopped. Surprise filled her as well as a strange sensation of intrusion.

Will was fast asleep against the arm of the couch, and Evelyne was leaning against him. The empath's arm was around her shoulder in a protective embrace and they both slept peacefully. The rise and fall of both of their chests seemed in synch, and Alana frowned thoughtfully, removing her heels so as not to disturb them.

Alana knew Hannibal's daughter. He had met her from times to times in her friendship and association with the cultured man. He had confided in Alana of Evelyne's to sleep with anyone around her, of her immediate distrust of anyone. Alana knew that Evelyne did not like her much. If the psychiatrist was to analyse her, she'd call Evelyne a protective borderline personnality, very close to sociopathy though Alana knew it came from her extreme experience of her childhood. She wondered how Will and Evelyne had come to be this close. She felt and knew it wasn't anything morbid and toxic like Jack wanted to believe. She saw it as Evelyne craving a more sentimental paternal figure. Hannibal was a great father, he had done a lot to protect and help the girl, but he wasn't very open with feelings and Evelyne must have suffered a bit from it. Alana could not be sure. But she trusted Will as well. She knew intimately that Will was lost and craved a familiar setting, a place to be himself, and maybe with Eve (and Hannibal maybe, one day) he had found that. Better than a pack of stray dogs, he had found another lost soul that would understand.

She smiles and enters the hospital room and takes the blanket thrown on the visitor's chair, carefully laying it on them. None of them stir, though Evelyne burrows deeper in the cover and against Will's chest. Alana softly puts back a strand of Evelyne light almot grey hair behind her ear and goes to sit down on the edge of Abigail's bed.

When Will opens his eyes, he feels warm and there's a weight on his chest that makes his heart flutter. He sees Alana, sitting on Abigail's bed reading something. He looks down and notices the blanket, thankful and happy for the gesture until he notices Eve, still breathing softly against his chest. He smiles fondly at the girl and resits the urge to kiss her head lik ehe had seen Lecter do when no one was looking.

"What ar e you reading?" He talks softly, trying not to awake Evelyne, she seems very comfortable so he doesn't move.

"Flannery O'Connor. When I was Abigail's age I was obsessed. I even tried to raise peacocks because she raised peacocks, but they are really stupid birds. Though I know that Evelyne here did not read the same things. She preferred old mythology books alredy. This girl is going far." She chuckles softly and Will joins her before sobering, looking at Abigail.

"You could be reading to a killer."

"Innocent until guilty and all that." It made Will feel grateful, at least he wasn't the one fighting for Abigail. She will already have a lot of things to fight when she wakes up, she at least deserved allies on her sides. He glances back at Alana who shifted minutely on the bed.

"Am I making you nervous?"

"No, I'm making me nervous." She breathed in slowly, apprehensively. "I'm about to broach the subject of that "Takes one to know one" article."

"Oh. That. I already vented to Eve and Doctor Lecter by text. But Eve mainly. Clever girl knew what to say. Did Jack sent you?"

"That's good you talked about it I guess. And no, I sent me."

There was a small silence and before it turned heavy Will decided to socialise.

"I don't think we've ever been in a romm alone together. Have we?"

"I haven't noticed. Have we?" ' _She lies Will. I don't like liars. Never lie to me please.'_ Eve's voice resonated in his skull and he stopped looking at Alana to look almost fondly to the girl sleeping on him. She had told him that after Jack's remark. He didn't like liars ever, and he always knew when someone lied. "Not that we're necessarily alone now. Stop trying to change the subject."

Oh he knew they weren't alone, he also knew that Eve was awake, or at least waking up. When Alana had mentioned the article, he had felt Eve twitch closer to him and she was now clutching his arm, in a comforting way. He tightened his grip on her shoulder to show her he knew she was awake and understood her comfort. He felt at ease, less attacked. The paternal feelings swelled in him and he shut them down again. 'Don't show it, it's not your place' he repeated to himself. _'It could be.'_ Evelyne and Lecter's voice echoed together.

"Back to Jack Crawford's crime gimp."

"I couldn't believe she wrote that."

He couldn't stop himself from chuckling bitterly. "It's kind of hilarious."

Alana frowned slightly. "Certainly creates an image. I don't need to talk about it if you don't."

"We can talk about or not talk about whatevre you want. Honestly, I was enjoying listening to you read."

Alana allowed herself a sincere and true smile. She knew he was trying to avoid and distract her from the real issue but let it slide, though she entered a new tough topic.

"Abigail Hobbs is a success for you."

Will felt Eve frown and shift aside, the warmth leaving him slightly. He immediately regretted it and rubbed her arm slightly. He had seen the Doctor do that when they were saying goodbyes to each other before his session. Eve froze and laid her head down again. "She doesn't look like a success."

"Don't feel sorry for yourself because you save this girl's life."

"I don't. I don't feel sorry for myself at all. I feel good."

He smiled proudly at the prone form on the bed and the young woman next to him, knowing it was thanks to her father and her that he felt that way. He kept his true feelings hidden though, the good feeling of killing Hobbs. The pause because pregnant as Will becomes self-conscious, questioning this sudden realisation. He felt proud to have saved the girl and … Good he had killed Hobbs. Why? Because Hobbs was a bad men? No. He knew it was the same feeling he had felt during his detective years. The one he had tried to burry deep, hidden in the shadows. He tried to tell himself it was the psychopaths influence on him.

He knew it was an excuse and it scared him.


	14. Power

_I still do not own Hannibal, nor none of the characters._

Chap 14 : Power

His own voice resonated in his mind as he faced Hannibal. Eve had went to her father's office, and he had apprehended Stammets; the far and anger and adrenaline had rushed through him and when he had seen Stammets with Abigail, he had just wanted to kill him.

 _'You should knowI'm a terrible shot. I was trying to kill you.'_

Doctor Lecter's voice penetrated his thoughts, interrupting the maelstrom of confusion. "When you shot Eldon Stammets... Who was it that you saw?"

They sat opposite each other, and Evelyne was on the balcony, swinging her legs in the air below. When the doctor had opened the door to him, he was ready to let Evelyne leave as well but Will had shaken his head. He didn't mind her presence. He had wanted to see them both anyway. Even Lecter.

"I didn't see Hobbs."

"Then it's not Hobbs' ghost that's haunting you, is it?" Will looked up to the doctor, surprised. "It's the inevitability of there being a man so bad that killing him felt good."

Will frowned, disgruntled. How could Lecter understand that? Was he reading his mind? He suddenly regretted telling Evelyne to stay. He looked up at her, but she was looking at the both of them, her book forgotten in her lap. Her eyes were shining with anticipation, but he saw no judgment there. He remembered her anger towards Glacial's death. Maybe she could understand. He looked back at the psychiatrist. He face was blank but very open, unjudging as well.

"Killing Hobbs felt just." He stubbornly clutched to that idea.

"Which is why you're here. To prove that sprig of zest you feel is from saving Abigail not killing her dad."

He felt suddenly uneasy, his former thoughts back at the forefront.

"I didn't feel a sprig of zest when I shot Eldon Stammets."

"You didn't kill Eldon Stammets." Will was getting angry. He didn't want to think on how he had felt when he had gotten rid of Hobbs. He didn't want to focus on that simmering darkness in his mind, that was burrowed somewhere in his mind. He looked into the older man's eyes and felt _something_ he couldn't explain. _'Tell him the truth.'._

"I thought about killing him." It felt relieved as soon as the words came out of his mouth. "I'm still not entirely sure that wasn't my intention pulling the trigger."

"If your intention was to kill him, it's becaues you understand why he did the things he did. It's beautiful in it's own way." Will startled, suddenly looking up with big eyes to Hannibal. No one ever said that to him. They'd rather be disgusted or uneasy. He looked back at Evelyne who nodded, smiliing, clearly agreeing with her father. "Giving voice to the unmentionable."

Will felt heat rise to his cheek and he admonished himself. "I should have stuck to fixing boat motors in Louisiana." He knew he had mumbled, but he felt sudenly something very close to shy.

"A boat engine is a machine. A predictable problem, easy to solve. You fail, there's a paddle. Where was your paddle with Hobbs?"

"You're supposed to be my paddle." Something twisted in him, anticipating the reply.

"I am. And if you need it, Eve as well. We will always be your paddle if I may continue this metaphor." Will felt relieved and smiled back at Eve who waved before smiling to her father and going back to her book, politely retiring from their talk, leaving them in a faux-privacy. "It wasn't the act of killing Hobbs that got you down, was it? Did you really feel so bad because killing him felt so good?"

Will weighs the statement, pondering on Hannibal's (and when did Lecter become Hannibal? He did not want ot think on that now) place.

"I liked killing Hobbs."

Will missed the sudden victorious grin on the girl's face, mirrored on her father's for a brief moment. Hannibal knew he hd to choose his words very carefully.

"Killing must feel good to God, too. He does it all the time, and are we not created in his image?"

Eve's glance to her father spoke volume, and the psychiatrist nodded discreetly at her, Will oblivious though he knew a tension had suddenly appeared.

"Depends who you ask."

"God's terrific." Hannibal continued. "He dropped a church roof on thirty-four of his worshippers last Wednesday night in Texas, while they sang a hymn."

"Did God feel good about that?"

"He felt powerful." The words rang in everyone's head. And Will felt surrounded by predators, a Lion in front of him, and a Falcon on his back, and he didn't know yet, if he was a prey or not.


	15. Defense

_Sorry for the long delay, University is a mess here in France and I had little time to focus on this !_

 _I still don't own anything apart from Evelyne !_

Chap 15 : Defense

Jack was ready to pounce on Abigail. If it weren't for Will defesinve claims, and the fact that she had _just_ gotten out of her coma, he would've probably went to her and asked his thousands questions. Instead, Alana had gone, her soft ways more efficient than others. He had asked her and Hannibal to come. He had surprised him by bringing his daughter, but if he thought about it, it was logical. The girl was older mentally, she knew trauma first hand and while he hadn't taken a look at her file in Interpol, for respect towards her and the doctor, he had glanced enough informations from them to know that something very traumatic had happened to the young girl in her childood, leading to the death of her mother and giving Hannibal a taste for mental troubles.

Alana was glancing at the strange family, Hannibal sitting primly and Evelyne, elegantly proper, in less casual clothes than usual, a black short skirt with a mesh band on the bottom, a white shirt tucked in it, black cherries adoring it. Her heeled boots looked expensive and while she shouldn't suit next to Hannibal's expensive and very clean-cut suits, she somehow did. Her eyes were dark, thoughtful and Jack felt very uneasy staring at them so he focused on the two professionals.

"I have 7 families waiting, let me rephrase, demanding that we find whatever's left of their daughters. Abigail Hobbs is the only person I can ask who might know the truth."

He immediately saw Alana tense up, and knew she'd protest.

"May already know about them. Her DNA's all over his slaughterhouse."

Alana shook her head, almost disappointed in Jack. "You really think Abigail helped her father kill those girls?"

"It is one possibility that needs to be ruled out. If she didn't help her father, she may know who did."

He saw Evelyne lean towards her father, whispering something in a language he didn't recognise, but Hannibal seemed to understand it clearly and replied a whispered 'Jis neturi. Nesijaudink, mano mažoji lapė.'. She nodded to that but grasped Hannibal's sleeve anyway, in a surprising show of need for comfort, the doctor surprising even more when he laid his hand on hers.

"Is everything alright, doctor?"

Hannibal looked up to the Agent, almost looking startled, before his expression smoothed out. "Yes, only a minor... Flashbacks. Evelyne has suffered such accusations wrongfully." A small-like whimper escaping the girl, a frown appering on her face. She opened her eyes.

"I am fine. Sorry." Her French accent was more pronounced and Hannibal shifted so she could lay her head on his shoulder slightly.

He turned to Alana who was also looking at the father-daughter duo, a soft sad smile on her face. Maybe she knew something and Jack could ask her later. Hannibal faced Alana a bit more. "How was Abigail? When you saw her?"

"Surprisingly practical."

"Suspiciously practical?"

"I would suggest she can be practical without being a murderer." Evelyne's voice rose, less shaky than it had been. "I was practical as well."

"Yes, but I think... I think she is hiding something." Jack could have made a little victory dance right there. He thought Alana was on Abigail's side. It spoke volume that her thoughts had shifter.

Hannibal shook his head, Evelyne joining him, straightening up. "It may simply be her trauma. Evelyne, do you remember how you felt when you were found?"

"Appart from shying away from touch and people, I hid behind mechanisms, I was comforted by practicality."

"Yes, I agree and I know that. But it could also be more. She has a penchant for manipulation, withheld information to gain information. She demonstrated only enough emotions to prove she had them."

Evelyne straightened even more, and her gaze darkened as she almost glared at Alana. Tension rose, as Hannibal contenance changed, his calm becoming cold, like a statue. Jack looked between all of them, focusing on Alana and Evelyne. There was old resentments there. He would investigate it later though, for now, Abigail was the main issue.

"Appreciating my lack of sympathy?"

"Providing psychological evaluation."

Hannibal, still holding Evelyne's hand, tilted his head at the same time as Evelyne did. It was almost comical, that gesture.

"You said it may be more than trauma yet you question her involvement in the murders her father committed."

"What I'm questioning is her state of mind. She repeated something I said when she was... Unconscious."

Jack frowned at the new puzzle piece. "Leading you to believe she wasn't."

The woman's shook her head, putting her hair behind her ear when they fell. "Leading me to believe it was odd."

"It is odd, but not unheard of for comatose or anesthetised to recall word for word conversations that took place in their presence."

Silence hung, two professionals facing each others. Somehow, he had been put on the sideline, and he glanced back at the teenager, for he was sure she must feel left out as well. Yet she was facing Alana, staring with her dark eyes that glinted blue, her hair looking more gray in the artificial lights.

Jack sighed. He knew his idea wasn't going to bring cheers, but he let it out anyway, in a tone of voice he hoped booked no arguments.

"I want Will Graham to talk to her." The response was immediate. Alana froze and looked back at Jack, almost shocked. "Jack. Not yet."

"Doctor Bloom, you're not Will's psychiatrist. Doctor Lecter is." He saw hurt pass in her eyes before all eyes turned to Hannibal.

"For intents and purposes, yes, but I'm not entirely objective on this." He sighed, clenching his daughter's hand. "Will and I share a compassion for Abigail Hobbs, we saved her life."

"Then who better to create a safe place for her to answer questions."

He felt suddenly anxious. Alana was disapproving, clearly shaking her head but knew she couldn't do anything. Maybe she regretted refusing working on Will's psychological evaluation. Hannibal looked thoughtful, his lips twisting in something Jack didn't know if it could turn into a smile or a frown.

Evelyne, however, looked grief-striken, she looked paler than usual, her eyes shining. Regretful. She looked regretful.

 _'Jis neturi. Nesijaudink, mano mažoji lapė.'_ → You are safe, do not worry my little fox.


	16. Acting

_Still don't own anything apart from my OC, hope you like it, don't hestitate to review ! Love you guys for reading !_

Chap 16 : Acting

Hannibal followed Jack to the lecture hall, looking a bit worried. He still held his daughter's hand in the crook f his arm. Evelyne looked a bit pale, like the talk had taken a lot out of her, and she was still shaken. He squeezed her hand and he felt her hand clenched back. Jack walked in front, like a pack leader. It was almost laughable. He looked down at her girl. Her eyes shone a bit more blue, her hand bounced with every step and she was the spitting image of her mother.

An excellent actress. She had manipulated all of them, played them like they were children. He had expected something good. What he had gotten and witnessed was more than that. It was magnificent. She had been so perfect in Jack's office that he almost had not to fake his worry. But he knew her. And when she leaned down and whispered in his native tongue, so rare and unknown by both of the adults ' _Jie niekada nieko nežinos. Jie niekada nežinos, su kuo jie kalba_.': they will never know anything. They will never know who they are talking to.'. Such a clever, clever vixen.

He heard her breath in deep, and he focused back in the present, seeing the entrance of the lecture hall where they could hear Will talk. They slithered in, Hannibal whispering to Jack so as not to disturb anyone.

"Giving a lecture on Hobbs' Copy Cat?"

"Need every mind on this we can get."

The two murderers looked at each other, Eve raising an ironic eyebrow, breaking the pretense for a second. Hannibal almost laughed out loud at the irony of it all. He sent her a grin, but his daughter shook her head and went back to looking at Will, a small smile appearing, part of her weak mask.

She did not like how he played with fire, but it was so interesting to see the FBI run like headless chickens, to play them like Eve played her violon and he play his harpsichord. Curiosity made him look at Will as well, the beautiful young men, not yet matured into what he could be, giving an insight. His talent was more than precise, he had gleaned details he had not even thought to cover. Was he going lax in his huntings or did he had just found the perfect match?

"This Copy Cat is an avid reader of Freddie Lounds and . He had intimate knowledge of Garret Jacob Hobbs' murders. Motives, patterns. Enough to recreate them and arguably elevate them. To art." Hannibal's blood pounded in his ears, excitation thrumming in his veins like it rarely did nowadays. Evelyne tensed and her smile was proud, so very much proud of Will.

"How intimately did he know Garret Jacob Hobbs? Did he appreciate him from afar, or did he engage him? Did he ingratiate himself into Hobbs' life? Did Hobbs know his Copy Cat as he knew him?"

The slides were changing rythmically and the daughter and father felt the crescendo, the coming of Will's thoughts, his talent and power that they both craved even though it could bring their demise.

"Before Garret Jacob Hobbs murdered his wife and attempted to do the same to his daughter, he received an untraceable call, re-routed through a swatting service."

The last picture, showing the shot Jacob Hobbs, what had brought so much change. Hannibal almost wanted to thank him if he didn't find him a bit too simple. Everyone was hanging on Will's lips, and Hannibal wasn't ashamed to admit that he himself was drinking his words like the sweetest elixir.

"I believe the as-yet unidentified caller was our Copy Cat Killer."

Hannibal leaned down to his daughter, his arm around her shoulder as she tensed against him.

"Brilliant."

Will had met up with Jack and Hannibal after his class and he was surprised to see Evelyne there. She had looked shaken, even a bit pale, though that might have been the dark artificial light. Hannibal had a certain glim in his eyes that made him shuffle. He was baffled though when Eve had just stepped out of her father's hold and stepped towards him, looking a bit lost. He instinctively opened his arms and she stepped up to him, wrapping her arms around his waist, almost clutching his back and he heard her sigh. He looked up at Hannibal who had a fond look on his face and he smiled bemusedly at Will who couldn't help himself but reply in kind. Jack had looked a bit constrite and was tensed. Eve moved her head a bit and she mumbled something that was clearly meant for him and Hannibal.

"Merci. Jack m'a fais rappeler des choses que je ne voulais pas me souvenir. Papa s'inquiétait, n'est-ce pas?"

Hannibal had nodded at that. "Oui. D'ailleurs, Will, si ce n'est pas trop dérangeant, j'aimerais qu'elle vous accompagne chez vous. La compagnie de vous et de vos chiens lui fera du bien."

Will rubbed Eve's back, barely restraining his glare to Jack and had nodded as well. "Bien sûre. Je l'a ramènerais ce soir, au cas où."

Eve stepped back and looked up at him, her eyes shining too much for his liking, looking more blue than usual. "Merci."

Jack opened his mouth but shut it audibly when he was faced with three dark glares. "I think we will head home. I have an important appointment tonight and my little girl needs to rest now. If we can, Jack, of course."

The polite request barely hid the order of the doctor and Will shared a secret smirk with the teenager.

"Of course, I also have matters to attend. Will, we will talk tomorrow."

"Sure."

Evelyne had went home with him, played with the dogs as soon as she had arrived, his mutts welcoming her like they welcomed him. "They like you, Eve."

They had went on a long walk after that, and Will was content to let her talk about what had happened in Jack's office in her own time. She did so, slowly at first, carefully, until all of the stress of the memories hidden made her spill everything. She mentioned how she felt targetted when they had talked about strange reaction to trauma. He had been startled to learn that Abigail had awaken and no one had told him. A bit betrayed and Eve had been surprised that no one had told him. She had went on to explain Alana's retailing of her meeting with Abigail. They talked until very late and Will had cooked for her though she had insisted on helping. He drove her back to Hannibal's place, not staying long since he had to go back to his place afterwards. She looked almost regretful to leave him, but when Hannibal had stepped out of the house to welcome her, her face had brighten and her shoulder had relaxed further. Will had looked at the scene fondly but with a pinch in his heart that he did not want to focus on. Evelyne had gracefully climbed the steps towards her father and hugged him, he had kissed her hair and held her face, speaking softly to her before kissing her forehead and letting her in. The psychiatrist had waved at Will and he had felt obliged to respond in kind.

He had slept fretfully that night, and even that glass of bourbon had not helped to sooth the strange ache that had settled in his heart.

" _Merci. Jack m'a fais rappeler des choses que je ne voulais pas me souvenir. Papa s'inquiétait, n'est-ce pas?"_ → « Thank you. Jack reminded me of things I wished not to remember. Papa was worried, weren't you ?

" _Oui. D'ailleurs, Will, si ce n'est pas trop dérangeant, j'aimerais qu'elle vous accompagne chez vous. La compagnie de vous et de vos chiens lui fera du bien."_ → « Indeed. As such Will, If it does not bother too much, I would've liked for her to come with you. You and your dogs' company might cheer her up. »

" _Bien sûre. Je l'a ramènerais ce soir, au cas où."_ → « Of course. I'll bring her back tonight, in case. »

" _Merci."_ → « thank you »


	17. Sly

_I do not own anything apart from Evelyne, my psychopatic princess. Thank you for readong and following !_

Chap 17 : Sly

He let his dogs out as soon as he had fed them, clutching his cup of coffee like a lifeline. He barely registered the cold air of the morning on his bare legs and he only realised he was not alone when his dogs barked to someone. Alana. Something angry seeps in him, curling in his stomach hut he stash it away. She's smiling at him and saying hi to her dogs ' _as if nothing was wrong. As if she didn't lie.'_ He shook his head slightly and blinked at her.

"Morning."

"I didn't hear you drive up."

"Hybrid. Good car for stalking." The joke fell a bit when she noticed his forced smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"I'm compelled to go cover myself."

"I have brothers." The easy dialogue felt force, as if something was unsaid and Alana shifted.

"I'll put on a robe just the same. Do you want a cup of coffee? And more immediately why are you here?" He knew what she was doing here, but he wondered how long it would take her to say Abigail was awake. He wondered if she knew he knew. Probably not.

"Yes. And Abigail Hobbs woke up."

His steps hesitates, but he continues all the same. He abruptly felt mischievious, the feeling almost foreign had he not experienced it with Evelyne. The young girl knew how to manipulate emotions well enough for him to retain the good ones, which was something extremely rare in his life, nowadays.

"You know how to bury the lead."

He briefly looked back at her, seeing the relieved look on her face. His warm feelings towards her suddenly felt very forced.

"Want me to get you a cup of coffee?"

"No, I want to get my coat."

She forced the issue though. "Let's have a cup of coffee. Or tea. Maybe a nice soothing tea."

They settled at his kitchen, after he had dressed himself more properly, and Alana had prepared the tea. They settled around his kitchen table, ignoring the insistent ringing of Will's phone. He still felt playful, and he was quite content to keep to himself that he knew Abigail had been awake way before any of them would've told them.

"Is he going to keep calling?" No need to precise who 'he' was. Jack was worse than one of his mutt on a lead.

"Jack wants you to go see her." That made much more sense now. He remembered Evelyne brief perseved resentment towards Alana and the puzzle pieces started to assemble.

"And you don't."

"Eventually. Could help to take a step back before a step forward."

Will frown, all fun gone from him. "Help who?"

"When you see Abigail, and I do think you should see her, I want it to be on your terms. I want you to get what you need. I want Abigail to get what she needs. What Jack needs,I'm not as concerned."

" _She wants a lot of things Will. But she cannot get what she wants so easily, so she skirms around until we get it for her, and we don't even notice. That's why I don't like her Will, she's a hypocrit. Alana is sly. But I'm much more sly than her."_ Evelyne had made her thoughts clear, but he knew he could not associate both of their feelings, though he had to admit he was a bit disappointed himself in Alana's lie, he still focused on Alana bulldoggish defense, and he smiled. Evelyne was young, a teenager, and she had an old grudge. She was biased. Will knew Alana and trusted her, he even liked her, probably more than a friend, and even though the tension between them was killing him, he still stayed there, next to her, smiling. Alana continued, not noticing Will small relapse in his mind.

"I don't want to get in the middle of you and Jack, but if I can be helpful to you as a buffer..."

"I like you as a buffer. I also like the way you rattle Jack. He respects you too much to yell at you no matter how much he wants to."

"And I take advantage of that."

They shared a secret smile until they buffowed. They laughed for a bit until Will calmed down and sobered.

"Abigail Hobbs doesn't have anyone."

"You can't be her everyone. Don't have to draw a line but you might want to know where your line is."

"Keep my distance?"

Alana pondered on how to reply until she spoke. "When I said what I was going to say in my head, it sounded insulting. I'll find another way to say it."

 _Sly fox._ "Say it the insulsting way."

"Dogs keep a promise a person can't."

After that, Alana convinced Will to let her do her job first, wait until she tries before trying himself, but the remark had been done and unknowingly, Alana had reminded Will of something very important: She will never love him, because she can't promise him not to judge his broken pot. He had withdrawn from the conversation, replied naturally but his mind had splited again, one on the present, observing the fresh sun on Alana's porcelaine-like skin, the other, facing the dark cage of his, observing the darkness seeping everywhere, spilling, with voices and screams resonating.


	18. Snake

_I will never own Hannibal, apart from my OC !_

Chap 18 : Snake

Angry. She was angry. He could see it in her eyes. They glinted with that spark, the one that appeared when she hadn't slept enough. The dark circles under them proved that theory and he let his professional mask drop and scratched the back of his head. He had never succeeded in restraining himself with his adopted daughter and he did not regret that fact.

"I am sorry Evelyne darling, but I must go see Abigail now with Will. Alana has had her meeting with Will, and he wishes for me to come. Would you like to accompany me?"

"Abigail?" Eve squinted her eyes and in her sleep-addled state, they appeared completely black and her teeth a bit too sharp when she growled out her reply. "The stupid golden ticket girl that got you riled up?"

"Evelyne, please. Do not be rude."

With a sigh, she repositioned herself, crossing her arms and leaning on the doorframe. He couldn't see inside her room but he could smell pine oil she used on her instruments and the lavender ink she was so fond of to draw and compose. She must have had an artistic urge and created all night. It had been a while he had seen her like that. Will's fresh air and dogs must have helped her brain, like the zephyr wind blowing clouds far away.

She looked a bit more awake when she replied with a punctuary 'sorry'. "If I were to come, it would show that I am too curious, like a normal teenager, however, taking into account how I acted at the last meeting and what we managed to portray, if you want me to meet her at some point, it would look much more believable if I were to be absent when Will's there and it would be one of you two that would want to 'help me' by helping her or something of the likes."

"Indeed, that is very clever my sly little vixen. Make it credible and show you as more fragile than you are. I am so very glad to not have killed you."

The sarcasm dripped from Eve's reply, Will's sharp tongue and their recent debate (Hannibal had not doubt in him that they had debated on a topic or another) added to her still sleepy mind made Evelyne particularly edgy. "Thanks, such an honour. Can I return to my much-needed sleep?"

She had not waited his response, alreay closing the mahogany door, and hearing the distinct 'Thump' of a body falling ungracefully on a bed, he chuckled. Acting aside, she was still a teenager somewhere under that murderous beautiful Persephone.

When he joined Will in front of the hospital, he immediately saw that the younger man was distracted, there was something in his eyes, making them more skittish and yet they seemed more cutting. The psychiatrist felt as if he was in front of a dog whose tail had been pulled. _'Disgrunted?'_ Hannibal thought, as he nodded to the man.

"Eve's skipping?"

"She was not feeling well. She had many nightmares that made her sleep close to impossible. Jack and Alana's remarks have brought up many memories she wished to not remember."

Because Hannibal was looking for it and because he had expected it, he caught the frown and little jump at Will's jaw, tension building up in the Empath and the monster that Hannibal was was in the front row.

"Hopefully she'll get some sleep tonight. Let's go."

"You seem to be in a hurry Will."

"Not really."

The psychiatrist wondered if he should continue making the tension build up in the younger man, poke the fire inside but a pungeant and overly sweet smell invaded his nostril and he scrunched up his nose. What a perfect coincidence. He could already hear the snake poisoning the mind of the young deer. If he played his cards well he could obtain something entertaining. He was even more glad that his perfect daughter hadn't come otherwise the snake wouldn't have lived long after this meeting.

"A man named Will Graham. Works for the FBI but isn't FBI." At this point even Will must have heard her, and judging by the tension rising in his shoulder and the dark gleam that sparked in hiseyes, his suspicion was confirmed. Hannibal love this. He wished he could properly paint this gleam in Will's eyes but even with all his skills in painting, he would not be able to make it perfect. He would've to make-do with his perfect memory. "He catches insane men because he can think like them. Because he is insane."

They were already at the doorway, the pitied girl's eyes were sparkling with curiousity and analysing the situation. Freddie Lounds must've heard them because she turned around. "Speak of the devil."

"Would you excuse us please?" the succint and clipped tone barely hid the anger behind.

"I'm not leaving you alone with her."

Will nodded to the orderlies, who flanked the snake. For once, he was the Alpha. He completely dismissed the journalist and turned to Abigail, his stance becoming more meek as he watched the weakened teenage.

"I'm special agent Will Graham."

Despite her position, Miss Lounds threw a last barb, poisonous as ever. "By 'Special Agent', he meant not really an anget. He didn't get past the screening process." She bared her fangs at Will, thinking she was winning. "Too unstable."

Hannibal stepped up, positioning himself as the protecting figure, and Miss Lounds stepped back, knowing she was only just a disposabl piece on his chess. "I must insist you leave the room."

Before leaving though, she smiled slyly and offered a card to Abigail. "If you want to talk-" Hannibal was thinking on how to proceed when Will stepped around him and snatched the card, glaring and smirking at her. It was hidden from Abigail, but the two adults and the orderlies could see it, a savage beast barely restrained at this point, the one in power. He was acting on his own, not passive as Lounds was used to, and she ended up speechless and the orderlies moved in action when the empath raised an eyebrow at them. He takes a deep breath and suddenly the beast is shackled and thrown to the back of his mind, somewhere the doctor wishes to explore.

When Will turns around, he is once again a broken agent, meeker and regretful.

"Abigail, this is Doctor Lecter... Do you remember us?"

The deer's eyes could for a second, probably going back to her almost-death. Hannibal stopped himself from sighing. She wasn't a predator like Evelyne was. She was still clinging to something. She was clever, that was true, and she was probably a manipulative girl, but she was following orders. Even with that, Hannibal had the bad habit of liking minds like those, those that he could use to further his goal. He was still pondering if he should let her live long or not when Abigail replied with a soft voice.

"I remember you." A small pause, to better manipulate, the psychiatrist knew. Alana had been right. "You killed my dad." The memory weighted on all of them, though Hannibal only pretended to care, looking to the side as an excuse to hide the boredom of such a sentence. He stopped himself from sighing and looked back at the girl with a clinical smile. "You've been in a bed for 3 weeks, Abigail. Why don't we have a walk?"


	19. Untruthful

_I still don't own anything apart from Evelyne, thanks for reading through !_

Chap 19 : Untruthful

Will's skin felt like it was paper-thin, his darkness was ready to burst out and anger gave a spring to his step that he had to control to better walk alongside the weakened Abigail. When he had first saw her in her bed, ignoring the snake women there, he had felt the breath escape. His mind had conjured many bloody and dark images, and he couldn't stop it when it easily imagined Evelyne in her place, her blond, almost silver hair, looking more dull and flat than ever before, her eyes not shining blue but just a dark dead shine. It saddened him and made him even more angry. Hannibal had been a good help,, supporting him when his mind made him feel unbalanced. He decided to break the silence though when it started to feel too heavy, even for him.

"I'm sorry we couldn't save your mother. We did everything we could, but she was already gone." He was slightly lying, he hadn't really stopped to help her, the smell and scream were enough, though he had been told Evelyne had stopped to the mother. He didn't want to think too much on it, how the blood had ended up on her lips like a bloody lipstick. How her smile had been so out-of-place. How long she had stayed at the dead mother. "I had been told that she hadn't died alone though, there was... someone with her."

"Someone?"

Hannibal smiled, that calming smile that spoke of pride and love for his daughter. "My adopted daughter. She lost her mother in a similar manner so she stayed with yours to do what she couldn't do with her own mother."

Tears had sprung in Abigail's eyes, but there was something relieved as well in them.

"Good. That she wasn't alone. But I knew. That she was dead. I saw him kill her."

Will frowned, letting Hannibal reply. He was, sadly, more experienced.

"You saw it?"

"It was sort of like seeing it." That was a weird reply, but before Will could reply or ask anything, the doctor rephrased Abigail's sentence, explaining to both her and him what was meant.

"There was no vocabulary for your mind to articulate the violence." He truly was a professional and the agent's esteem for the man rose a notch again.

"Didn't seem real. He was loving right up until the second he wasn't. He kept telling me he was sorry and to just hold still. He was going to make it all go away."

That ticked Will, his anger rising but towards a dead man who still haunted him and the words spilled out before he could find a nicer way to articulate his thoughts. He truly wished he had done like Eve and stayed in bed. It turned out to be a crappier day than he had expected. "There was plenty wrong with your father, Abigail,but there's nothing wrong with you. You said he was loving. I believe it." _Because I feel it._ "That's what you brought out in him." _In a way, you're the reason he killed._ Evelyne's voice was cold and cruel, like that time she had talked about Hannibal's failures and Glacial. He himself did not think as such, it was too easy a jump to make, and he ignored it, and yet he wondered why her voice had said that. Will did not think Evelyne, who had a similar past, would say something so cruel.

And yet, his words had been understood by Abigail, with her sharp eyes. "It's not all I brought out of him."

Hannibal shifted, and Will let him speak up for the both of them, he did not trust himself at the moment.

"Did he tell you about the young women he murdered?"

The question everyone asked, that everyone did not speak in fear of scaring the young girl, and yet, Hannibal had spoken it frankly. Abigail had gone silent and both men share a look. There was something there. Will would've said something else maybe if Jack hadn't pushed as much as he had, and the fact that he had been so aggressive towards Evelyne and Abigail made him vindicative.

"You don't have to answer that right now, if you don't want to."

"But we will have to ask you those questions eventually."

Abigail shakes her head and her soft delicate face scrunch up, twisted with fear and anxiety.

"I'm going to be messed up, aren't I? I'm worried about nightmares."

Hannibal immediately steps up to her. "My daughter has lived something similar, something unspeakable, at a much younger age than yours. And yet she grew up in a fine young woman, a bit too old for her age, but stable. There is nothing to say that you will not bounce back up. And we will help with the nightmares."

"He is right, Evelyne is incredible, and she has the same age as you. You have much in common, you're not alone. But, as she as told me and as I have lived it, there is no such thing as getting used to what you experienced. It bothers me a lot. I can only imagine how it bothers you when I see it over and over in my mind." He throws a glance at Hannibal, knowing what he was going to say was going to come back and bite him. "I worry about nightmares, too."

He tries to ignore the burning sensation of the doctor's eyes on the side of his head and focuses on Abigail. "Do you have nightmares about killing my dad?"

"Sometimes it's hard for me to dream about much else." Will knew he was saying too much, but she looked so frail and pale in the light, like a rabbit or a deer, weakened after being wounded.

"Killing somebody, even if you have to do it, it feels that bad?"

He replies automatically, the lies flowing down his lips. He wished he didn't have to lie to her, like he didn't lie to Evelyne, but he knew it, they were not the same.

"Ugliest thing in the word."

Hannibal eyes him, they both know the truth. They both share the lie, they both know he is not telling the whole truth.

"I want to go home."


End file.
